Nick Herbert holds new local surgeries and open meetings

Arundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert is giving the public an opportunity to raise issues of concern with him by holding open meetings across his constituency.

The meetings will be non-party political and open to all local residents.  They will commence with a few words from Mr Herbert to update residents on what is happening locally and nationally.  People then have an opportunity to raise whatever issues may be concerning them.

The next open meeting will be held in Barnham on Friday 6 June at 1.30pm.  The venue will be the Parish Hall in Yapton Road.  The discussion will be chaired by Mike Young of Barnham Parish Council and the panel will include local councillors Jean Goad, Melissa Briggs and Derek Whittington.

The meetings will usually be followed by private surgeries for constituents who want to raise matters of individual or personal concern.

Nick Herbert said: "I inherited an arrangement where the MP's surgeries were all held in Steyning, which meant most people having to travel a long way in this large constituency.  I want to make it easier for local people to raise issues with me without having to come so far, so the plan is to rotate the Friday surgeries around the major villages in my constituency.

"People will have the opportunity either to have a private ‘surgery' meeting by appointment, if for instance they have a personal issue which they would like my help to sort out, or they can just come along to the open meeting for a chat with me and the local councillors.

"I hope that the open meetings will be relatively informal and constructive, and that they will be an opportunity to discuss issues in each village, how we can work together and how I might be able to help.  Obviously I'll be happy to answer questions on national questions as well."

Ends

Notes for Editors

1. The full address of the venue on Friday 6 June is The Parish Hall, Yapton Road, Barnham, West Sussex PO22 0AX.

2. Further meetings will take place in Angmering (date & venue tbc), Arundel (date & venue tbc), Hassocks (date & venue tbc), Henfield (Friday 14 November at 1pm, Henfield Hall), Hurstpierpoint (Friday 13 June at 1pm, Hurstpierpoint Village Centre), Pulborough (date & venue tbc), Steyning (date & venue tbc) and Storrington (Friday 24 October at 1pm, The Parish Hall, Thakeham Road).