Firstly, a particular thank you to all those people who came to see me and local councillors at our street surgery in Southwick Square on Saturday. After a particularly tumultuous week (tumultuous doesn’t really seem adequate to cover politics recently) I was expecting quite a lot of flak. Instead virtually everyone who came up to me started off by asking if ‘I was alright?’ Hopefully now we have a new PM we can get back to some rather more unexciting and uneventful weeks and months and even years ahead!
Next Saturday I will be at the Lancing Halloween Market with the local councillors there for a street surgery on Saturday from 10am so looking forward to lots of nice constituents turning up for a chat again.
It was good to be back at St Andrew’s School in Worthing on Friday to meet the Head Mia Lowney and Chairman of governors Peter Woodman and have a tour. St Andrew’s has not had the easiest of times recently, but it is clear to see the very real progress that has been made since the unhelpful OFSTED report. There is a clear determination to get the school back on track and I was very impressed with the dynamism and dedication of the staff and how well the school is doing in STEM areas and pastoral care in particular. With the school now being co-ed and part of a new academy chain, it is clear why many more parents have been showing an intertest in sending their children there and long may it continue.
Straight after my visit to St Andrew’s I dropped in on the leaving reception for retiring Chief Executive of Worthing Homes Maggie Bligh. Maggie has been an excellent boss of Worthing Homes over the last 8 years, and it remains one of the jewels in Worthing’s crown, all about creating homes and supporting residents not just managing houses. It was a packed event with everyone keen to pass on their thanks and wish her well and she heads for sunnier climes and I am happy to add mine.
