Dear resident,

I hope that I find you well after such a cold start to 2010. January and February have been unbelievably busy – largely because of an ever-growing list of engagements and commitments to do with the fast approaching General Election, which is now certain to take place in the coming weeks.

Thanks to all of you that have already been in touch to voice your support for my re-election – not to mention those that have made financial donations to the campaign – serving local residents is my passion and I hope to work hard towards building on my current record of action for many more years to come.

Let me fill you in on what’s been happening in recent weeks:

• With regards to the cold weather, there are a number of pieces of info:

1. To save money on your heating bills which will inevitably by more expensive with the weather take a look at this: More Info

2. Make sure you are not one of up to 8000 people in the area who are entitled to cold weather payments that don’t receive a penny: More Info

3. Freezing temperatures are responsible for a large number of new potholes across the area. The Liberal Democrat team are as a result checking roads across the area and reporting them to the Council. Just this week Stockport Council have announced an extra £2 million to tackle this problem – I am sure residents will agree this is an important step!

• We have all seen the images and heard of the tragedy in Haiti, and many of us have donated money to the relief project and emergency funds. Many will be aware that our local fire-fighters in Greater Manchester have been out there saving lives – my parliamentary colleagues and I co-sponsored a special parliamentary motion to pay tribute: More Info.

• I’ve been campaigning for the introduction of vital new heart drug (Dronedarone) to be made available on the NHS – it has been rejected because of costs but experts predict it could save an estimated 40,000 lives a year – see the article on the front page of the Daily Express.

• I challenged the Secretary of State for Transport in the House of Commons to guarantee any new high-speed rail links would stop at Stockport – as a Lib Dem Shadow Transport Minister I will continue to campaign to make sure we get the best deal from High Speed Rail, despite the Conservatives putting its funding in doubt: More Info

• Great news for Cheadle Hulme – there are to be massive railway station improvements after continuous campaigning from local Lib Dems and the Cheadle & District Rail User Group. This includes full disabled access for the first time – just get in touch if you’d like a copy of the plans: More Info.

• I recently revisited Cheadle Kingsway Sports Club’s impressively refurbished clubhouse – here’s further information on the opening and for booking details for social functions.

• I joined with residents in Bramhall to oppose a controversial planning application in Bramley Close near Bramhall village centre: More Info

• Cheadle Hulme Shopping Centre traders got together to beat the cold and celebrate Chinese New Year recently. I was delighted to join in the festivities organised by Linda Lee and her team at Rainbow 88: More Info

• One of my key election pledges is to protect and develop local health services – here’s a note on a recent pledge I’ve signed on cancer care.

Often readers of my Notes ask me why other pieces of local news they know I’ve been involved in aren’t included – the answer is simply that to include everything would be impossible – since I’ve been the local MP I’ve helped many thousands of people and these notes are just to give you a taster of what I’m working on locally and nationally 365 days of the year. In addition, the Lib Dem team regularly send out Keeping in Touch leaflets and Newsletters to keep everybody informed – always funded by voluntary contributions.

As always, if you require any further information or I can help with any problem whatsoever, please do get in touch!

Best wishes,

Mark Hunter MP

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