James Wharton MP

This evening was a mix of things with the NE Conservatives regional dinner following the earlier cabinet meeting.  460 or so party members attended to hear William Hague and the evening was a great success, it is just a shame it followed the earlier decision at Cabinet.

This evening was extremely sad.  Stockton Council’s Cabinet decided to close Parkview care home in Thornaby.  I have been campaigning, along with local residents, families and staff to keep Parkview open.  The staff presented me with a bottle of brandy as a thank you for all my efforts on their behalf, which was a lovely gesture and which made the end result all the more difficult to accept.

Last night I attended a residents meeting in Oxbridge, showing my support for the ongoing campaign to keep Oxbridge Lane Post Office open. Local campaigners have collected over 3,000 signatures in support of this branch and there is a real depth of support from the community. The government have set an arbitrary target for the Royal Mail of shutting 2,500 Post Office branches and the impact of this is being felt in communities across the country. I only hope that the Royal Mail can be persuaded to see sense and the Oxbridge Lane Post Office is allowed to remain open.

Tonight I arranged a meeting between interested parties and Stockton Borough Council Officers and the Cabinet member who is responsible for this area of policy.  The meeting was calm and open, with a frank exchange of views on all sides.  I felt it was useful but sadly I am not sure whether it will have made much of a difference to the home’s future.  We were able to secure a number of assurances which will help to protect residents and staff should Parkview close.

The D&S have printed my letter regarding Greg Clark MP’s appointment as Shadow Minister for Teesside and the problems of planning and over development across Stockton South:

 http://www.darlingtonandstocktontimes.co.uk/comm
entopinion/letters/display.var.2102427.0.serving_teesside.php