It has been a busy month, both in Parliament – where I have been scrutinising legislation and across the constituency – visiting local people. February has been a productive mix of policy work and local engagement.
Here is a look back at what I’ve been up to this month:
Working for You in Westminster
Much of my time in London this month has been dedicated to committee work and legislative scrutiny.
This has included my work on the Finance Bill Committee – where I scrutinised legislation, ensuring that national fiscal policy remains robust and fair.
On the Housing, Communities, and Local Government Committee, we continue to look at the vital issues affecting local councils and the delivery of housing. I have celebrated the new Homelessness Strategy – backed by £3.6 billion, which includes 3 pledges to be achieved by the end of this Parliament. We will halve long-term rough sleeping, end the unlawful use of B&Bs for families, and prevent more households from becoming homeless in the first place.
I also attended a dedicated drop-in session to discuss the impact of social media on young people and how we can better protect children in the digital age. Lots of constituents have emailed their views on this, and I would encourage anyone who is interested to contribute to the national consultation to have their say.
As well as this, I attended a rural reception with the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution Farmers Charity, where I was able to discuss the unique challenges facing our farming community and how we can support them.
Across the Constituency
Back home, it was a pleasure to visit several schools and community hubs to see the incredible work being done on the ground.
I visited both Blessed George Napier (BGN) School and North Oxfordshire Academy (NOA) to speak with students and staff about the challenges and triumphs in our local education system. I also spent time at Banbury Sure Start, seeing firsthand the essential support they provide to young families in our community.
I also chaired a seminar on the Oxford to Cambridge growth corridor. This is a vital project for our regional economy, and it is essential that we balance growth with the needs of existing residents.
I have also been visiting lots of local businesses and groups, such as the Breadline Project, Contact Web, and Banbury Museum, and have invited lots of different constituents to meet with me about their individual casework issues.
As always, if anyone needs my support, please do email my office at sean.woodcock.mp@parliament.uk.
Sean.