Callum’s Catch Up 07.01.25

Local news and priorities for the year ahead

Before I begin this week’s catch up, I must express my heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the two women who tragically lost their lives, as well as to the two men who sustained injuries, in Newton Leys on Christmas Day.

This devastating incident has shocked our community, but it has not damaged its strength. I visited Newton Leys Primary School over the festive period and spoke with members of St Joseph’s Church, alongside wider community members who have been affected. It was clear as we chatted over cups of tea that our community remains resolute in its determination to support each other.

I am proud to be your Member of Parliament, and as you may know, this is my first full week back in Westminster in 2025. I feel rested and ready to represent you in the House of Commons, and closer to home I am working hard on our local priorities here in Buckingham and Bletchley.

Speaking of local priorities (and in case you didn’t spot on my social media channels) just before Christmas, Laura Kyrke-Smith (MP for Aylesbury) and I met with Sir Chris Bryant MP (Minister of State for Creative Industries, Arts and Tourism) to explain concerns raised about Buckinghamshire Council's changes to their library model. We have written a follow-up letter to the Minister on our worries regarding the accessibility and safety of our libraries. I promise that as your MP I will always stand up for our libraries and the residents who use them.

I also wrote my latest column in Bucks Herald on what our Government is doing to clean up the water sector. For too long sewage has been pumped into our beautiful waterways and companies such as Anglian Water have not had to face any consequences. This is going to change, and I was extremely pleased to vote for the Water (Special Measures) Bill, which marks a turning point for Britain’s environment and ends the era of complacency and unchecked pollution.

Looking ahead to the new year, I am excited to get about and meet many more of you in the months to come. More information about my surgeries can be found below, and I can’t wait to pop by fantastic local schools, businesses and community groups in every corner of the constituency. If you are a constituent and there is anything I can help you with, do not hesitate to send me an email.

Ending this newsletter on some positive news stories, I’d like to give a big congratulations to Joe Harrison, Chief Executive of Milton Keynes University Hospital, on his CBE for services to healthcare, and Heidi Travis, Chair of the hospital, on her OBE for services to palliative, neurological and bereavement care.

I also loved reading this story on BBC News on how MK SNAP (Special Needs Advancement Project) is working with local employers - including M&M supplies in Bletchley - to help adults with learning disabilities reach their full potential. The piece put a big smile on my face.