From time to time, people come to me and say that Kidderminster's town centre is turning into a wasteland, as they talk down the local economy. But the reality is the complete opposite.
The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Interest Rate Swap Mis-selling, along with directors of the campaign group Bully-Banks met on Wednesday with senior members of the FCA Whistleblowing team. As Vice-Chair of the APPG Mark Garnier MP was represented at the meeting.
The ongoing Greek negotiations with Europe, and the recent comments from the Scottish National Party, bring the topic of austerity into the forefront. But they talk about austerity as if it were a policy of choice. It is not. Austerity, far from being a policy is, in fact, an outcome.
The recent resignations of accident and emergency doctors from Redditch and Worcester have hit the national news. It is certainly a big deal when 5 of a total staff of 10 A+E doctors leave a trust and as the local MP, it is my first priority to ensure that constituents' safety is not compromised.
Wyre Forest MP Mark Garnier held his fifth jobs fair in Kidderminster Town Hall on Thursday 12th February. It brought over 40 companies together in one place for a drop in session to meet prospective employees.
Another week another financial scandal. This time with HSBC and their private Swiss banking branch, where a whistle blower has revealed that over 100,000 clients, from more than 200 countries held money in accounts, some of which were used for tax evasion. To be clear, holding a foreign bank account is perfectly legal - so long as you declare the money and where it has come from to your home country's tax authorities.
Mark Garnier MP has welcomed the latest Wyre Forest apprenticeship figures in the run up to the 2015 National Apprentice Week. This is being held from 9th to 13th March.
The subject of austerity is one that dominates the press, and will dominate the next few months as we trundle inexorably toward the general election. It is a contentious issue, but there are examples of clever thinking that has resulted in really good outcomes.
Mark Garnier MP has welcomed the positive results of a report into the quality and academic standards of higher education provision at Kidderminster College.