Thank you to everyone who has contacted me with their concerns and issues in recent weeks. My constituency office team are now in place and we’re working hard to make sure your issues are raised with the relevant authorities. If you have anything you would like to raise with me, you can get in touch at alan.strickland.mp@parliament.uk.
I continue to use the Parliamentary recess to visit key organisations in the constituency. Recently I’ve had the privilege to meet emergency service leaders to hear about the work they do to keep us safe. I was welcomed to County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service headquarters by the Chief Fire Officer and Chair of the Fire Authority to be briefed on the vital work they do. I visited the 999 Control Centre and spoke to staff about the challenges the service faces. I then saw first hand the Fire Service Training Centre in Bowburn, which is part of the new Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor constituency. It was fascinating to see the state-of-the-art facilities used to train crews to fight fires while using breathing apparatus sets. They even have a replica helipad and helicopter to train oil rig workers to fight fires at sea!
In addition to the fantastic physical training facilities, it was very impressive to see the virtual reality training room in action. I saw a firefighter hoping to be a crew leader practising taking command of a serious incident. Given the importance of our fire service and the significant risks they take to protect us, it was good to see the quality of the training provided.
It was very helpful to sit down with Sarah Honeyman, the Neighbourhood Police Inspector for Newton Aycliffe to talk about the issues facing the Town. The problems of anti-social behaviour in the town centre and the menace of people using quad bikes and off-road bikes came up again and again on the doorstep. It was useful to talk through with Sarah these and other local issues to understand what action the police are taking.
It was also an opportunity to thank Durham Constabulary for their work to help prevent the recent unrest spreading to streets in our area. The police acted swiftly to deal with potential unrest by issuing dispersal orders, gathering intelligence and offering support to local communities and businesses. Durham Constabulary have my full support in taking action to maintain order on our streets.
Many of the issues with public services that residents raise with me are delivered by Durham County Council. So it was important for me to meet the council’s chief executive to discuss the current challenges facing our communities and what needs to be done to ensure high quality services. It’s clear that the county council, like the Fire Service and Durham Constabulary, suffer financially from various funding changes made by the last government. Along with other County Durham Members of Parliament, I’ve asked for a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister to pick this up. I also set out the priorities I want to see the council help lead action on, one of which was Aycliffe Town Centre.
Finally, I want to say well done to everyone receiving their exam results at the moment. I remember only too well doing my GCSEs at Woodham and waiting anxiously for the results! If you’ve got the grades you wanted, then many congratulations and I wish you all the very best. If you haven’t got the grades you needed, remember your exam grades don’t define you and there is a lot of advice available and many options open to you. Take it from me – I was a senior manager in a large housing association for many years, regularly recruiting staff. I never once asked someone what grades they got in their exams. So regardless of how you’ve done, well done and good luck with your next steps.