With Parliament in its summer recess, it’s been great to have more time during the week to meet residents, local businesses and organisations that make such a positive difference to our community.
I spent Monday morning meeting the staff at the Royal Mail sorting office in Newton Aycliffe, near Newton Press. It was really interesting to see all of the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to get the thousands of letters and parcels out to us every week.
As part of my visit, I really enjoyed joining local postie, Claire, on her first delivery round. If you live in Clarence Chare or any of the streets in that area of the town, I probably helped deliver your post on Monday! It was good to see first-hand how all the stages of the postal system work, from sorting to delivery. But, given Royal Mail have been having a difficult time in recent years and been subject to a lot of parliamentary scrutiny, it was also helpful to talk to staff about their experiences and the proposed plans to change the way deliveries are organised. This will be very helpful in informing my discussions with government ministers when the arrangements for Royal Mail are discussed in the House of Commons.
I also visited the Great North Air Ambulance Service, an organisation that provides a life-vital service across our region and saved the life of my friend’s son after he slipped and fell while out walking in the Durham Dales some years ago. It was inspiring to meet the staff and volunteers who work so hard to keep the service running, so they can continue their mission of getting medical help quickly to the most seriously ill patients. Their work is a powerful reminder of the importance of community support, charitable giving and the dedication of skilled professionals who are there in our moments of greatest need.
One of the public services that works incredibly hard for us over the summer in our local police teams. The warmer weather and lighter nights can, unfortunately, bring with them increased anti-social behaviour and policing problems.
To support the police in our town, I’m proud Newton Aycliffe has been included in Labour’s summer policing boost. This important initiative means four towns across our constituency – Newton Aycliffe, Spennymoor, Chilton and Ferryhill – benefit from extra funding to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.
This investment will give the police more resources to make our town centres safer, with extra police patrols to deter crime and provide a more visible, reassuring presence.
In total, 26 additional police officers have been allocated across the four towns. These officers will be equipped with increased enforcement powers, enabling them to respond more effectively to issues as they arise and to take swift action where necessary. Keeping our towns safe is a top priority and I welcome this boost – the Labour government is determined to crack down on the anti-social behaviour that causes problems in our town centres.
I hope that all Newtonians have had some chance to enjoy the glorious weather this week and that you have a good summer. If you need any assistance, me and my team are here to help – you can contact me on alan.strickland.mp@parliament.uk to get in touch or book into one of my surgeries.