This week, parliament has not been sitting. In common with many schools and educational establishments, parliament takes a “half term” break. For many the Whit half term is a holiday but for Members of Parliament all breaks from parliament are an opportunity for us to spend more time getting out and about, meeting people.
Having been your Member of Parliament now for 17 months, it has been difficult for me to meet many of you as for the best part of twelve of those months, we have been under some form of Covid restrictions. Although restrictions are slowly being lifted, it was a concern to start this week with the news of the cluster of the Delta (Indian) variant that have been found in Junction, Llandudno and Penrhyn Bay. However, the prompt and efficient way that the testing operations and track and trace have been working, you can see that it is a different response that we could have possibly had this time last year.
Mrs. Millar, the dog and I spent a great Bank Holiday; enjoying an ice cream in Betws and then slipping away from the crowds to enjoy a wander through the bluebell woods at Cadair Ifan Goch. Our reward for the last scramble to the top of the crag was to be rewarded with a stunning panoramic vista of the Conwy Valley. Perfect!
Despite all those threats of the weather turning, it has remained sunny and warm throughout the week and I have travelled right the way across the constituency – holding meetings to discuss flooding; a potential COP 26 event later in the year (more on that as time goes along); difficulties in recruitment of tourism staff; the concerns of the farming community about the Australian trade deal and discussing the UK government Levelling Up Fund with council cabinet members. These have all been quite weighty matters and will require further work and input from me.
I have walked on West Shore with local residents, discussed fundraising with our local RNLI fundraising champion, lunched with a hospitality investor in North Wales in one “pubs with a view,” spent an afternoon in Llandudno visiting bars, cafes, hotels and bed and breakfasts and spent Friday afternoon visiting retailers.
And a first for me! Helping to plant hanging baskets with young people at Llandudno Rugby Club. I was glad of the guidance and support from volunteers from Llandudno in Bloom led by Vorn and it was great to bump into Sonia from the Friends of Queens Park. We are lucky to have people who care about how our public spaces enough to give their free time and experience to support the Llandudno In Bloom entry each year.
I had thought that perhaps with all that sunshine about that my email box would be quieter. Not a bit of it – if anything I think it has been slightly busier. The subjects that you have been writing about this week are animal welfare concerns and the impact on farmers and farming communities of the proposed Australian trade deal; more concerns about the conflict in Israel and Friday has seen a flurry of emails about UK foreign aid. And one single email about the sentience of decapods and cephalopods. I can see you furrowing your brow as I did! Octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus (cephalopods) and lobster, crab and crayfish (decapods).
No two moments are ever the same in this job and I wouldn’t have it any other way! If you have a project, club, café, shop or enterprise that you would like me to visit over the summer recess – please pick up the phone to my office – 01492 583094. I am also happy to help community efforts, litter picks, gardening, fundraising. I look forward to meeting you!
