LAST week marked a year since you elected me to be your MP for South East Cornwall. It is a privilege to serve my home.

The last year has been about listening to the concerns that local residents have and acting in the best interest of our community. I have organised many meetings with groups across South East Cornwall to hear what everyone has to say, so that we can work together to create change.

I have been determined to do politics a little differently. This has been to suit the needs of the area we live in. Like setting up roving caseworker surgeries, so that people can access my office closer to home. These efforts meant my office actioned almost 20,000 emails over the last year. Being able to correspond with this many local people has been a great achievement so far and I will continue to put local action first in my role as an MP.

That being said, I have also brought Westminster to Cornwall. As part of the Environmental Audit Committee, I hosted a group of MPs from around the UK to demonstrate how Cornish people are prioritising both nature and development.

I introduced the Cornish Language and Heritage Bill, which is currently making its way through the Commons. This Bill supports those who want to access Cornish language courses, which bolsters and promotes our unique Cornish identity.

I have been determined to see local actions. The road safety improvements to the A38 are under way after a hard-fought campaign by residents. I worked with lots of different stakeholders to kickstart this into action.

As part of our national Plan for Change, I’m working to deliver South East Cornwall’s fair share. This will take time, but there has been progress. On education, there are three free school breakfast clubs up and running, with more to come. On the energy transition, £28-million has been allocated for critical minerals, which are needed for self-sufficiency. On the NHS, there are 15,000 less people on a waiting list in the South West.

I share your desire to improve South East Cornwall quicker and for the national government to move faster. I share your impatience, but I am determined to work in a transparent way, not promising things I can’t deliver. We’ve all had enough of false promises, so let’s keep our ambitions high but achievable. That’s my promise to you in the year ahead.