FROM STEVE
BRINE MP
A belated Happy New Year to all readers,
seeing as this is my first column of 2014 for
Village Voice.
The year has started at pace for me;
Parliament returned on the 6th January and I
have been initiating some major projects in
the constituency. Few are larger than my
Health Check Survey which is producing
many returns, both in hard copy and online.
The survey covers general health policy,
hospital as well as primary care and asks for
views about the future of hospital services in
our area as some pretty major changes are
discussed. If for some reason you haven’t
seen a copy yet or there are other members
of your family who’d like to take part, please
either call my office on 791110 or go to
www.stevebrine.com/surveys
Sticking with health for a moment and it was
an honour to be nominated as Health
Campaigner of the Year for my work last
summer (via the All Party Breast Cancer
Group), chairing our major inquiry into older
people with the condition. As I write, voting
is still open, and while it would be nice to
win, it’s nice the work has even been
recognised by DODS. More on this and
results
via
www.stevebrine.com/breastcancer
One thing I have access to as your Member
of Parliament is tickets to the weekly joust
that is Prime Minister’s Questions. Like all
MPs I get allocated a small number of tickets
each year and I hold a ballot among
interested constituents to ensure it is fair to
all. If you want to be entered into the draw –
for 19th March, 25th June or 26th November –
please get in touch by phone or email, or
visit www.stevebrine.com/pmqs
Finally for this time, watercress. Alresford is the
home of this super-food and I want it to stay that
way. The Watercress Company – and Alresford
Salads next door on Bighton Lane - provide solid
employment for the area and contribute positively
to the local community. At the end of last year I
visited TWC to learn some more about the
growing process of this iconic local product and
last month, I saw Alresford Salads where
watercress is packed and despatched to market.
There are obviously tensions with the local
community at the present time – especially in
Broad Street and on the Soke in Alresford where
large lorry movements are causing much concern
– but I remain committed to working responsibly as
you’d expect of your MP to find a solution that
works for all. I think that means rebalancing what
is a successful local business with a fragile town
centre that (in places) wasn't built for cars let alone
two lorries passing each other. Personally, I think
destroying a successful local employer would be a
retrograde step and make us all collectively worse
off. More on this to come for sure!
You can catch up on much more of my work via
www.stevebrine.com or by calling my office on
01962 791110.
Steve Brine
MP for Winchester & Alresford
01962 791110 (constituency)
0207 219 7189 (House of Commons)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.stevebrine.com
Steve Brine TV: www.stevebrine.tv
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