It has been a busy and productive month in Parliament, as I continue to champion the issues that matter most to residents across Beaconsfield, Marlow and our South Bucks villages, writes the Conservative MP for Beaconsfield Joy Morrissey.

Standing up for our Green Belt in Beaconsfield, Marlow and the South Bucks villages continues to be a priority for me as your local MP. Labour have brought back mandatory, top-down housing targets, forcing 95,500 homes onto Buckinghamshire, a 43% rise, without guaranteeing that we will have roads, schools or GP surgeries needed to support them. Their rebranded “Grey Belt” policy could all too easily become a backdoor to Green Belt development.

Buckinghamshire Council has now published the next stage of its Local Plan. No final decisions have been taken, which means residents have an important opportunity to influence the outcome. I have made clear that brownfield land should come first and that any building on the Green Belt must be an absolute last resort. I will keep working closely with local councillors to examine every proposal in detail. Our community’s voice is powerful, and by speaking up, we can help secure a plan that safeguards the character of our area.

Protecting the Colne Valley Regional Park also remains a priority for me, because I know how much this treasured landscape means to our community. I recently had a productive meeting with the Colne Valley Regional Park team and local councillors to discuss the next steps in safeguarding this vital green space. I am also due to meet with Natural England to explore further protections for this beautiful part of our constituency. I will, of course, keep residents updated as this work progresses.

It is always a pleasure to welcome constituents to Parliament. I was delighted to host the Marlow Chamber of Commerce for a constructive discussion about the challenges facing local businesses, from business rates and rising taxes to the future of Marlow Film Studios. Our local businesses are the backbone of our economy, and I will continue to make their case in Westminster.

In the Chamber, I also spoke up for young people struggling to find employment after graduating from university. Youth unemployment has risen sharply, and many businesses tell me they simply cannot afford to take on new staff following the introduction of Labour’s Jobs Tax and Employment Rights Bill. We are fortunate to have excellent local apprenticeship schemes, such as those at The Greyhound in Beaconsfield, which support young people in gaining valuable qualifications in the hospitality sector. Apprenticeships provide practical pathways into work and must be championed far more strongly. The Government needs to step up and back the next generation.

This is just a snapshot of what I have been working on this month. You can follow more updates on my Facebook and Instagram pages. And as always, if you need assistance with any issue, please do not hesitate to get in touch, I am here to help. You can email me at joy.morrissey.mp@parliament.uk.

© Bucks Free Press