MPs’ Round-Up

Young people who have lost a parent or other loved one have seen a boost to the Dorset charity set up to help them. Mosaic, which supports around 300 children in Dorset, who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling or grandparent or who are facing the death of someone close, has been awarded £13,500 by the county’s Freemasons. The grant will provide support for three years to enable young people to understand and express the overwhelming feelings they can experience when suffering bereavement. Mosaic provides individual and family group work, activity days and social events. Their residential weekends give children the opportunity to share their experience and make new friends who understand the situation they are going through. The Dorset Freemasons’ grant comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends from across England and Wales. CEO at Mosaic, Margaret Hannibal, said the organisation was grateful for the grant, which would support many Dorset children: “The past year has been difficult for everyone especially young people and we have seen a significant rise in referrals where they have not been able to say their goodbyes to loved ones or attend funerals,” she said.

THANK YOU: Mosiac helps children through bereavement. The charity has received a £13,500 donation from Dorset Freemasons

Sunshine brings welcome visitors and income

Finally summer seems to have arrived! It’s been brilliant to see Dorset businesses being able to open up more and welcome visitors back. Some of Britain’s best beaches are here in Dorset, and while I do enjoy walking the dog along a deserted beach in the rain, the bright sunshine is very welcome! I have recently been to visit some of our local tourist sites, including the award winning South Lytchett Manor Caravan and Camping park. They are all working incredibly hard to make their sites safe and welcoming. I know summer brings challenges, but hundreds of business rely on tourists and I am pleased to support them as much as possible. Tourism directly and indirectly helps maintain over 46,000 jobs in Dorset, with visitors bringing millions of pounds. Of course the beaches bring people to Dorset, but so does our beautiful countryside. A few years ago I encouraged schools and community groups to sign up to plant trees as part of the Queen’s canopy project. The government are now offering further support for people who want to plant trees. The England Woodland Creation Offer provides grants to create woodlands, with extra funds for trees near rivers to reduce flooding, and improving public access to woodlands. More at gov.uk/guidance/englandwoodland-creation-offer I was really pleased to hear about the new pet theft task force, set up to investigate the reported rise in pet theft since the beginning of lockdown. We are a nation of animal lovers and for many people, particularly during the lockdown, pets have been a source of great comfort. Sadly there has been an increase in pet theft, and as a dog owner myself, I know the important part our pets play in our lives. The task force will take evidence from a variety of organisations including the police, and make recommendations to reduce this deplorable crime. Over the last few years many people have contacted me with concerns about multinational companies avoiding paying tax. I was delighted by negotiations chaired by Rishi Sunak in London, which has resulted in G7 finance ministers agreeing global tax reform to ensure multinational companies pay their share. We look forward to seeing further details. Several local businesses and charities benefitted from the Culture Recovery Fund, like Twins FX in Wareham. They have created an incredible DeLorean ready for the new production of Back To The Future Musical which opens in London in August. I have to admit getting my hands on the remote control was a 1.21 gigawatt moment! If you’d like me to visit your business, charity or group, or if you need help or support email michael.tomlinson.mp@ parliament.uk. I send out a regular email – you can sign up at michaeltomlinson.org.uk where you can also find links to the latest coronavirus advice. Follow me on twitter @michael4MDNP or find me on facebook facebook.com/michael4MDNP

MP for Mid Dorset Michael Tomlinson

MPs’ round-up We’ve seen the full value of our public sector

Greetings! I’m really pleased (whether readers will be remains to be seen) to have been asked by the editor to contribute a regular column. Please don’t panic. I try to make my pieces chatty rather than a political hard sell. There’s quite enough of that sort of stuff elsewhere. Restrictions notwithstanding, I have remained available for surgery appointments. If I can help with any issue contact simon.hoare.mp@parliament.u k or 01258 452585. You can write to House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA, or follow me on Twitter @Simon4NDorset or fb.com/simonhoarenorthdorset. I thought I would set out a few thoughts about the role of education. I consider myself fortunate that I attended state primary and secondary schools and was the first of my family to attend university. It told me in a nutshell the purpose of education. Teachers create keys for their students, who can then use those keys to unlock all of life’s doors. No key? The door is closed. Progress is blocked. Social mobility stalls. My three daughters attend local schools. So I understand the value beyond price of our teachers. I have long believed we should view money for education as an investment rather than an expenditure. The dividend of that investment is for wellrounded individuals, equipped to meet the challenges of the day and contribute to their communities and society in general. As a parent I have seen it over the years but never more so than during covid. Many of us had real fears that we might lose a generation as a result of schools being closed to most pupils and the challenges of home learning (I certainly remembered why maths was my least favourite subject). From what I see and hear, speaking to schools and listening to parents those fears were unfounded. Schools not only rose magnificently to the challenge of providing distance learning but also in monitoring and delivering supports to those who needed it as they returned to school. The commitment to ensure that no one is left behind is tangible – we must be grateful to the dedication shown by all of those who make our schools what they are today. And when I say all, I do mean all. It’s not just the teachers but those who clean and maintain schools, who feed and support. So, an enormous thank you. You can rightly enjoy your summer break. Covid also allowed us to see front and centre the professional dedication of our staff across the public sector. NHS staff must be exhausted. Who wouldn’t be given all they have gone through? There are simply no words to express the awe, respect and love the country as a whole feels towards them. Likewise, those working in Local Government who almost overnight refocused on delivering packages of support. To those in DWP who made sure Universal Credit worked. And to HMRC rolling out furlough and other business supports. We simply, as a nation, could not have survived without any of them. As an optimist, I believe every cloud does have a silver lining. If covid has one it is that it has lit up, in sharp relief, the role, value and purpose of our public sector. To all of those working within that key sector, as your MP and on behalf of all my constituents: THANK YOU!

MP for North Dorset Simon Hoare

Christchurch & East Dorset: Chris Chope

East Dorset Conservatives helped Matt make up his mind

The resignation of Matt Hancock and the appointment of his successor, Sajid Javid, has been dominating my postbag. The Christchurch and East Dorset Conservative Association helped play its part in persuading the former Secretary of State for Health to resign by passing unanimously a resolution to that effect at our AGM on Saturday morning. That meeting’s expression of outrage at the conduct of the person responsible for the covid-19 restrictions on individual freedom which he did not apply to himself received national publicity on radio and television on the Saturday afternoon. In Sajid Javid, I hope that we will have a Secretary of State who is more sensitive to the importance of relying upon personal responsibility in promoting public health. The first area in which I hope he will be able to establish those credentials in support of personal freedom will be in quashing the oppressive plans to require all those working in care homes to be sacked if they refuse to be vaccinated. In conversation with one of the most successful care home managers in Christchurch, I was left in no doubt at the strong opposition to this proposal and the implications for care homes which face losing many of their most experienced and conscientious staff. There can be no justification for requiring a vaccination when daily testing is available as an alternative. The appointment of Sajid Javid is already resurrecting concerns about his direct role in securing the abolition of East Dorset and Christchurch Councils. He forced their merger with the new unitary authorities of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) and Dorset. The BCP merger was imposed on Christchurch despite an 84% vote in opposition in a local referendum with a large turnout. The fall-out from that decision continues to cause problems for my constituents, the latest example being the BCP Council’s proposal to establish a dedicated cycle route between the Iford and Fountain roundabouts as part of a new route from Merley to Christchurch. The implications for local residents and businesses along Barrack Road are huge because so much on-street parking which is available for those visiting the shops will be removed and relocated in side roads which are already overwhelmed by parking demand. I have made representations to both the Leader and Deputy Leader of BCP Council and have informed them that they must respond to public concern about their proposals. Failure to do so will only reinforce the sense of alienation among local residents that they are being ignored by BCP Council. The recent Commons Ward by-election demonstrated that Christchurch residents are not to be taken for granted.