As it’s summer recess and, with Covid restrictions lifting, I’ve been getting out and about in the constituency this month. I took part in a litter pick in St George with Cllr Nicola Beech and others, as part of the Big Tidy campaign.

You can see from the picture how much we managed to collect! I was proud of our efforts but of course we wouldn’t have to do this if people stopped dropping litter. I hope the cleaner streets will create a sense of pride in the local community and that the minority of people who do litter will think twice before doing so.

I also had a meeting at Kensington House, a supported housing project in St George, which involved St Mungo’s staff, the St George beat officer, PC Clare Heard, and the two ward councillors, Nicola Beech and Steve Pearce. We had a very constructive conversation about how St Mungo’s can best manage the property in the interests of not just the residents, but also the local community, taking into account some concerns that have been raised. We agreed that communication is key, and both the police and St Mungo’s are now increasing their outreach efforts. There are also plans for a community event in the next month or so, which I hope to attend.