I have been buzzing around locally over the last fortnight. Amidst the various highlights, I caught up with Surrey Downs Clinical Commissioning Group, which coordinates and commissions local health services in Elmbridge. I reinforced the value and importance of providing support for local GP surgeries, and providing additional health services in the community - to take pressure off the major hospitals like Kingston. I registered the particular importance of this for their strategic review of local community hospitals - which will cover Cobham and Molesey hospitals.

I also caught up with Walton Charity Chief Executive, Jackie Lodge. We had an interesting discussion about local cost of living pressures across the borough, including around childcare availability and affordibility, affordable housing and the cost and reach of local public transport. Walton Charity have commissioned some research into this, which is welcome. It is certainly an issue for many on low and even middling incomes - not to mention key public sector workers we rely on.

Finally, for all the media portrayal of the tensions between government and the unions, I met up with Nick Lang, head of department at Hinchley Wood School and a NUT representative - a guy I have always found I can have a really good, insightful and constructive conversation with. Nick wanted to raise changes in the curriculum - especially around the Ebacc - and concerns around anxiety and depression amongst students generally. I talked through what the government is doing, and also took away some points to follow up on.