ROB BUTLER, MP

This update to the Wendover community comes at a time that brings glimmers of hope for many local people thanks to the progress that has been made to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Families and friends have started to see one another again as careful adjustments have been made to the lockdown rules, first enabling limited gatherings outside, and then with changes that permit two households to meet inside.

Pubs, restaurants and hairdressers have now joined the shops on Wendover High Street that are open again, and I know that many Wendover residents have seized this opportunity to shop locally and support these small businesses. The reopening of these sectors is a very positive step and I am sure I was not alone in being glad of a haircut!

Since my last update, I’ve had the opportunity to ask the Prime Minister several questions in Parliament on behalf of constituents, including about guaranteeing food standards and ensuring better opportunities for farmers in our future trade deals. The agricultural sector is an integral part of our local economy and community, so I was pleased that Boris Johnson confirmed the government’s commitment.

Farmers are just one group that has had a raw deal locally from HS2, and I am currently working on several cases to ensure they get the compensation they are due and the treatment they deserve. I have spoken to both the CEO of HS2 and the HS2 minister about these cases, and made it abundantly clear that HS2’s contractors’ behaviour must improve immediately.

This will be an unusual summer, with undoubted challenges still ahead, but I hope there will be time for you to enjoy a break as together we find our way towards a “new normal”.