Gloria De Piero’s MP column: Fighting hard to get the best for my constituents

Being an MP is all about fighting to get the best deal possible for the place and the people you represent. It is as simple as that.

I know residents in Huthwaite, and particularly those who live on Chesterfield Road like Trevor Sowter and Colin Renshaw have been fighting a long running battle for years in a bid to get weight restrictions imposed on the road.

Having been up there many times before I’ve witnessed firsthand the big lorries travelling along there and I have to say it is frightening and no surprise at all that folk have been demanding action.

There’s finally light at the end of the tunnel because this week I had an update from the Highways Department at Nottinghamshire County Council who told me that signs are due to be installed in the next seven days. Hallelujah.

I was really pleased to see that care and treatment at our local hospital, King’s Mill, has just been rated positively according to a national survey which keeps tabs on patient satisfaction.

There is nothing more pleasing to see - especially when the judges of these things are patients who use the service. I often read entries on a great website called Patient Opinion and one recent comment on there was from a family who praised the quality of end of life care their loved one received.  It reminded me of the time I was stopped in the street in Kirkby by a gentleman a few weeks ago. He couldn’t wait to tell me how he had benefitted from the best possible care after he was admitted to King’s Mill.

If you have comments about the treatment that you’ve received or have experience of any other health care – good or bad, it is easy to do just log on to - www.patientopinion.org.uk/. I always check it and I know for a fact bosses do too.

Finally, during the Easter break, Kirkby lad Sam Voisey (pictured) stopped by the constituency office and popped in to tell me all about how he was finding Cambridge University.

He’s now 20 and in his second year studying politics, psychology and sociology after leaving Ashfield school. It was lovely to chat and find out more about what he’s been up to and it’s always great to see young people from here flourishing. There’s certainly no shortage of ambition or talent here and I want to see many more young people follow in his footsteps and fly the flag for Ashfield too.

He’s already been joined by another young man from Kirkby, Robert Howlett and when I asked Sam what advice he’d give to other young people it was simple - ‘Don’t be afraid. If you aim high and you think you can do it then you absolutely can’. Well done Sam.

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