News from Westminster
Over the extended Jubilee bank holiday in June it was great to be able to meet and chat to so many people whilst out and about in the constituency. I want to thank everyone who was involved in organising Jubilee events, bringing so many people together. From beacons to concerts, special church services, festival exhibitions, picnics and street parties – what a fantastic way to pay tribute to a lifetime of service from Her Majesty the Queen. Wimborne was the only town in England to have a militia giving a 21-gun salute! I was also delighted to meet 7-year-old Olivia Lansley in Canford Heath. She is aiming to swim 70 lengths representing 70 years of Her Majesty’s reign, to raise money for the Royal British Legion. You can find a link to donate on my website.
After one of the local events, I volunteered alongside the Scouts to collect litter. It was a pleasant surprise to find that very little had been left, with most people tidying up after themselves. Littering and fly-tipping is a pet hate of mine, so I’m pleased that the government is cracking down on waste crime. This is estimated to cost the economy an astonishing £924m per year in England. In the last six months we have announced that we are reforming the licencing system, introducing mandatory digital waste tracking, investing to tackle fly-tipping and supporting people to dispose of their waste correctly. We are consulting on changes to ensure that householders can dispose of household DIY waste without being charged, to reduce fly-tipping. You can contribute your views here: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/waste-and-recycling/consultation-on-diy-waste-and-call-for-evidence/
Of course, some litter is unseen, and I’m pleased that we have already banned microbeads in toiletries like shower gel; plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds. All retailers now have to charge for plastic bags, and we have consulted on banning single use plastic cutlery & plates. We are also looking at a deposit return scheme for drinks containers.
Over the June recess I also had the chance to meet some of our newest residents when I hosted a coffee morning with Cllr Sean Gabriel, for Ukrainian refugees and their host families. It was absolutely brilliant to see English and Ukrainian children playing together - they may not have a common language, but a tennis ball, or box of lego brought them together. I know we now have many Ukrainians living in the community, and it was lovely to hear from them and their hosts about the warm welcome they have received - with offers of furniture, toys, clothes, language support and jobs with local businesses.
If you need to get in touch, you can contact me via email [email protected] or call my office on 01202 624216. I send out a regular email update – you can sign up on my website www.michaeltomlinson.org.uk where you can also find links to what I’ve been doing locally and in Parliament & information such as updates & energy price advice.
