Question 1

What I can help with:

Accepted Answer

I can assist with a wide range of issues, including those which relate to:

Tax & National Insurance (HMRC)

Benefits & Pensions (DWP)

Immigration & Passports (Home Office)

NHS & Healthcare concerns

Utilities

Education

Housing

Parliamentary protocol dictates I can only help North Somerset residents.

Question 2

What I cannot help with:

Accepted Answer

Legal matters or court decisions
Financial or business advice
Family disputes or neighbour issues.
Planning decisions:

MPs do not have any formal role in the planning process.
Those taking decisions in the planning process (planning officers, councillors, inspectors and ministers) have to follow strict procedural rules. These rules do not allow for their decisions to be influenced by private discussions with anyone outside the formal process.
Under current planning regulations MPs do not have power to interfere, or influence, in the planning process in any way, regardless of constituent concerns or local pressures.
The government advises that “MPs should not seek to lobby planning ministers privately” and that only representations that are made available to all interested parties can be taken into account.
It does not matter to the planning system, however, who puts an argument across (whether it is an MP or a constituent). At all stages where the public can get involved in the planning process, comments are considered equally on their merits regardless of who makes them.
I encourage all residents to engage directly in the planning process and put forward their comments in relation to any planning applications of interest
 
Please refer to North Somerset Council’s website to view or comment on planning applications: 
https://buff.ly/KH1V73S 
Get involved with planning applications
Find out how to search, comment and speak at committee meetings for planning applications in North Somerset.

Question 3

Local Government matters:

Accepted Answer

For North Somerset Council issues (planning, waste, highways, schools, etc.), please use their complaints procedure! North Somerset Council - report or request services.

Question 4

Ombudsman Referrals:

Accepted Answer

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) investigates complaints about UK government departments, other public organisations and the NHS in England. Complaints about the NHS can be made directly by the patient affected, but complaints about UK government departments must be made via an MP.

Question 5

Why do I not sign EDMs?

Accepted Answer

There are a number of reasons why I don’t sign EDMs.
 
The main one, is that they rarely have effect and there are numerous other ways which are effective to raise an issue.
 
Signing EDMs requires virtually no effort. Signing EDMs has become a displacement activity for writing personally to the Minister, raising the issue in questions or debates in Parliament, applying for a debate, tabling amendments to Bills etc – all of which require much more time and effort. The tax payer also picks up a substantial bill for the cost of processing the hundreds of EDMs tabled each month.
 
This is why I have taken the decision to not sign EDMs, as a general rule. However, that does not mean the issues raised are not important and instead I write personally to Ministers raising the issues and asking them to respond, as well as raising issues in other useful and effective ways.

Question 6

Useful information:

Accepted Answer

North Somerset Council - report or request services. for Local Government matters.

Citizen's Advice specialises in providing confidential information and advice regarding debt, legal, housing, consumer and other issues.

Contact Samaritans if you would like a listening ear, they aim to provide assistance in times of emotional distress.

Question 7

Office Standards Policy:

Accepted Answer

Office Standards
I am proud to represent North Somerset residents. My work is supported by a small team of dedicated staff who work hard to support as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. 
 
There are occasions when people may act out of character in times of trouble or distress. There may have been upsetting or distressing circumstances leading up to a constituent approaching my office.
 
However, I will not tolerate unacceptable behaviour nor actions that result in unacceptable or excessive demands on my staff in a way that it prevents them from carrying out their duties effectively.
 
It is these behaviours and actions that I aim to manage under this Policy.

Aggressive or abusive behaviour
Any violence or abuse towards my team will not be tolerated.
 
Violence is not restricted to acts of aggression that may result in physical harm. It also includes behaviour or language (whether verbal or written) that may cause staff to feel offended, afraid, threatened or abused.

I will judge each situation individually. I appreciate that individuals who contact or meet with me and my team may be upset or feel angry, it is not acceptable to shout or swear at anyone in my team.
 
Unacceptable language is that which:
 
is offensive, derogatory or patronising,
is discriminatory in any way, including racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic comments; or
makes serious allegations that individuals have committed criminal, corrupt or perverse conduct without any evidence.

All threats against either myself or my team will be taken extremely seriously and if my team feel scared or threatened at any point during a conversation with a constituent, the interaction may be ended at any time and the Police may be contacted.

Unreasonable or unacceptable demands
A demand becomes unacceptable when it starts to (or when complying with the demand would) impact substantially on the work my staff carry out on my behalf.
 
Examples of this behaviour include:
 
Repeatedly demanding response within an unreasonable timescale,
Insisting on seeing or speaking to a particular member of staff, when that is not possible,
Repeatedly changing the substance of a complaint or raising unrelated concerns.
Refusing to accept a decision where explanations for the decision have been provided.
 
An example of such impact would be that the demand takes up an excessive amount of time and in doing so disadvantages other constituents and prevents their own complaint from being dealt with quickly.

Unreasonable levels of contact
Sometimes the volume, frequency and duration of contact made to my office by an individual causes problems. This can occur over a short period, for example, a number of calls in one day or hour, or frequent and persistent emails on a vast range of issues which take up a disproportionate amount of staff time.
 
It may occur over the life-span of a complaint when a constituent repeatedly makes long telephone calls to us or inundates us with copies of information that has been sent already or that is irrelevant to the complaint.
 
I consider that the level of contact has become unacceptable when the amount of time spent talking to a constituent on the telephone, or responding to, reviewing and filing emails or written correspondence impacts on my office's ability to deal with that complaint, or with other constituents’ complaints.

Actions I may take
When my office experiences behaviour or demands which are unacceptable, I may consider taking more formal action. The actions I will consider may include the following:
 
Warning the constituent about their behaviour and requesting that the constituent modifies their behaviour in future contact with us.
Reporting an individual to the Police.
Appointing a specific point of contact for the constituent
Communicating only in writing or via a representative
Deciding not to investigate a complaint on the basis that it has been pursued in a way that is unacceptable.
Stop all communication with a constituent
Restricting or limiting contact
Your telephone number and email may be automatically blocked from our systems.
 
Where it is decided that formal action must be taken a note may be placed on our records to this effect.

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