Parliament doesn't return until next week, which has given some time since the New Year to return to some of the issues that were causing concern during 2023. I have scheduled for the early part of January meetings with Aster, Southern Water, the NFU and NatWest, all in response to issues raised by constituents.
Cllr Nick Adams-King and I are meeting Ministers and Aster Communities in order to try to find a solution to their outrageous attempts to levy sewerage bills running into thousands of pounds on local residents. I have raised this in the House and will continue to try to find a solution.
Southern Water's tankering operations in Abbotswood, in Rownhams and in Longparish have caused issues for a number of residents and I hope they will confirm a meeting which we have been trying to schedule with them for some considerable while.
Finally - I have started 2024 with the usual batch of resolutions, the annual commitment to Dry January, a determination to only shop local, and an interesting question from a constituent as to what more we can do to support our local farmers. That may well start with hunting down whoever it was supplied the bacon for the bacon rolls at the end of the YFC Tractor Run (which has so far raised over £10,000). It was simply the best bacon I have ever had.
