MP Gordon Banks' New Year Message

Dec 30 2008 Strathearn Herald

THE beginning of a new year gives us all a chance to look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. I trust you all had a restful Christmas and are ready to meet the new challenges of 2009.

It is also an opportunity for families to come together and we can enjoy the happiness that the festive period brings and forget the day to day responsibilities for a while.

Throughout the year I have been working with many local groups and organisations and have met with large numbers of local people at events and surgeries. I will continue to hold regular surgeries throughout the area in the next year to make sure I am available to everyone in the constituency.

Life has also been busy at Westminster and it is my hope for 2009 that the Government can offer more support to those less fortunate in our society. The recent Queen’s Speech in Parliament outlined the Government’s priorities which I am happy to talk through with any constituent. At this worrying time the Government has made it a top priority to ensure that you all have faith in the Banking sector. There will be fairness for all the savers who have worked hard to put money away for a rainy day, through new rules to stop banks getting into trouble alongside new protections for their savings if they do. The Government is taking action now and the bills set out in the Queen’s Speech will strengthen the financial sector.

2008 has been a very productive year. I have launched a number of campaigns, namely to encourage more people to sign up to join the Organ Donation register, backing the retention of the Post Office Card Account, supporting residents affected by Land Maintenance Companies and also leading calls for a change in regulation for the Blind Industry after the tragic death of a Menstrie toddler. There will be more campaigns in the new year and of course my staff and I will continue to work hard to fight for you on casework issues and indeed on representing your views in Westminster.

However, I do pride myself on the individual cases taken up by my office and I am glad to have been able to make a difference to many people’s lives in Ochil & South Perthshire. As always, my office remains open to anyone with a problem, big or small which they think I can assist with. My office has dealt with thousands of enquiries and we continue to work with many partners across all sectors of our diverse constituency. It is a great pleasure, personally, to be involved with so many organisations and events throughout Ochil & South Perthshire.

Our thoughts at this time also must go out to those in the forces who are serving our country in all corners of the world and of course to those in the emergency services and the NHS who give up their time at this busy period to make sure that our hospitals and public services are manned.

I wish you and yours a happy and prosperous New Year.