✅ Reviewed budget proposals for next year
✅ Attended the Thames Valley Police Carol Service at Christchurch Cathedral
✅ Held my regular Liaison meeting with the Chief Constable
✅ Spoke to two classes of student officers joining Thames Valley Police

✅ Met with the national policing lead for Serious Violence to discuss future funding for Violence Prevention Partnerships
✅ Discussed the latest forecasts for the Thames Valley Police Estates Programme - ensuring the Force has the right buildings in the right place for the future

✅ Joined Project EDWARD in Parliament to discuss road safety initiatives
✅ Met with George Dailey at the Eyston Arms to discuss the impact of business rates rises on pubs as part of my saveourpubs.org campaign
✅ Spoke at the official opening of Atlantic House, Reading's new police station

If we lose these businesses because of the government's tax rises, many may never return.

Help us keep up the pressure on councils and the government, back our campaign at saveourpubs.org

Other councils will be asked to make the same move and we'll need to make sure we keep the pressure up to ensure the councils deliver!

Business rates are just part of the burden being faced by pubs, restaurants, hotel (and of course retailers) at the moment, but the impact is potentially huge.

Find out more and back our campaign at saveourpubs.org 🔗
1️⃣ Immediate support needed by councils
2️⃣ Short term, the government need to reduce the burden on businesses in the next 12 months
3️⃣ Long term, scrap business rates all together for hospitality, retail and leisure businesses

Let's see what happens tomorrow night 🤞

The impact of business rates on pubs, restaurants and hotels (as well as retailers) is huge and comes at a time when the hospitality industry is already on it's knees!