The month began however with the desperately sad passing of Paul Goggins, Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East.  Paul was a parliamentarian who rose above day-to-day political squabbling and he will be sorely missed by his friends from all parties.

Local business leaders predicted a strong 2014 for the Greater Manchester Economy, looking especially to the inward foreign investment and the larger infrastructure projects that our local area will soon be benefitting from.  Manchester Airport’s very positive half yearly results seemed to back up such optimism and was great news for the large number of employees who are residents in the constituency.

Nat West Bank hosted a meeting for local business people to meet with their local MP at a roundtable event in Cheadle; such meetings are a helpful chance for me to listen to concerns and understand how we can work together to help the local economy continue to grow.  I also took the opportunity to meet with the bank’s staff and hear more about what they and other banks are doing to support local residents.

The confidence of our business leaders was supported by the fantastic news that unemployment both locally and nationally is falling. Less than 2% of Cheadle constituency’s economically active population is now claiming unemployment benefits – one of the lowest figures for the whole North West region and the lowest it has been for a number of years.

It was a pleasure to meet with the UK head of Convergys, a large multi-national that has its headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, and its European base in Gatley.  Convergys is a telecoms business that employs many local residents.

Independent Options are a local charity based in Hazel Grove that support vulnerable people to take control of their lives and achieve their aspirations.  Useful up-date with the CEO, the Chair of Trustees and some of the parents and carers, when we discussed the future care options for those currently being supported and the financial challenges ahead.

Stockport’s Lib Dem councillors announced that they are to support hard-pressed local residents by proposing to freeze council tax for the third time in four years.  I know that most local residents will be as happy as I am that the Council has achieved this freeze, despite the tough economic circumstances, to help ease the financial burden on the less well off.

This month in Westminster I have supported a number of events working towards improved provision for mental health.  My Lib Dem colleague, Care Minister Norman Lamb launched a new action plan that outlines how the Coalition Government wants to ensure that mental health is prioritized just as highly as physical health by the NHS.

I was pleased to support local residents Mr Peter Dunlop and his wife Dr Patricia Dunlop at a launch event in Parliament for a guide on how to improve dementia care, a joint publication by the Royal College of Nursing and the Carers Trust.  Mr Dunlop, a retired consultant from Cheadle Hulme, spoke powerfully on how his experience has led him to endorse the new guide.

Eating disorders are a mental illness and have the potential to ruin or end the lives of the sufferers.  I continued my campaign against pro-ana and pro-mia websites, internet pages that encourage anorexia and bulimia, by appearing on Channel 4 television programme Supersize vs Superskinny, calling on the Government to look into how they can make the internet a safer place.  I have made representations to the Home Secretary.

My campaign against nuisance calls was boosted by my Lib Dem colleague Mike Crockart securing a backbench debate on the issue.  The speeches made showed the strength of support against this blight on our home lives; I look forward to the Government’s response to the to the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee’s report that was published in December.

As I do every year, I lent my support to the Holocaust Trust by signing the Holocaust Memorial Day Book of Commitment.  Monday 27th January provides a chance once a year to remember the victims and survivors of the genocide and also to raise awareness of how important it is to challenge prejudice and intolerance wherever we find it.

On a happier note to end with, local Lib Dem members enjoyed a Burns Night supper at the end of the month.  My friend and colleague John Thurso MP accepted our invitation to attend and toast Robbie Burns and I am pleased to report that a good night was had by all!