After a busy and tough General Election campaign, I was delighted to be re-elected as your Member of Parliament in the early hours of 5 July. As the only candidate to live in Ongar and have a day to day knowledge of what the town has and needs, I am honoured to have been returned as your Parliamentary representative.
This means my campaign to bring a Weight Restriction Order to deter massive lorries from thundering through the High Street continues. I am continuing to call on Essex County Council, the Environment Agency and landowners to ensure ditches and drains are kept clear to alleviate flooding – if the rain this summer is anything to go by so far, we need free-flowing ditches and drains more than ever.
The frustration with potholes continues – I do always refer correspondents to Essex County Council, which is the local authority responsible for mending the roads, and to their county councillors, who have a direct line to the Highways team to highlight areas of most concern and call for urgent repairs. Though it is pleasing that some roads such as Greensted Road have now finally been resurfaced.
I’m also keeping an eye on composting smells on the Ongar border, speeding traffic in Stapleford Abbotts, and plans for a huge Google Data Centre in North Weald. I know there will be other issues arising, so if you think I can assist in bringing them to the attention of Ministers or Government teams please do get in touch.