Newsletter 08.01.2024

Dear Constituent,

Happy new year! I hope that this week’s newsletter finds you well and that you had a very good Christmas. This week I wanted to kick off 2024 with an update on everything that I’ve been doing for you over Christmas - from first time buyer support, to hospitality, Local Plans, bin services, and lots and lots of local investment!

On my “This Week in Westminster” blog this week I’m discussing a big tax cut brought in on Saturday - putting an extra £625 per year into the pocket of the average employee in Hitchin, Harpenden and the villages.

And there is lots, lots more, including my appearance at Treasury Questions in Parliament just before Christmas!

I hope you find it informative and - as ever - if I can help with any issues this week please get in touch here.

Yours,

Bim

In this week's newsletter

Action & news for Hitchin, Harpenden & the villages

• Congratulating Redbourn on becoming Britain in Bloom’s Best Small Town!

• Welcoming an extra £4m for local schools…

• …and an extra £17.4m for Hertfordshire’s police force!

• Plus, £66k of Government funding for listed places of worship in our constituency

• Monitoring Council plans to cut bin services in North Herts

• Responding to the Government’s intervention in the St. Albans Local Plan process…

• …and keeping up the pressure on North Herts Council to review their Local Plan

• Discussing local hospitality concerns at Redcoats Farmhouse

• Meeting with Luton Rising to discuss transport pressures from Luton Airport expansion plans

• Tell me about your priorities for 2024 – fill in my monthly survey for January!

Updates from Westminster

• This week in Westminster…Putting money back into your pocket by cutting National Insurance

• Meeting mortgage lenders to discuss support for first time buyers

• Taking questions from MPs at Treasury Questions in the House of Commons

• Hosting constituents for a pre-Christmas tour of Parliament

• Joining UK Open Banking to discuss regulation, fintech and growth

• Tell the Government your priorities for the Spring Budget

Latest media

• LETTER: Thank you to carers – The Comet

• COLUMN: Housing policy ‘hypocrisy’ – Herts Advertiser

• NEWS: MP Bim Afolami visits Pinehill Hospital in Hitchin – The Comet

• LISTEN: Presidents, Prime Ministers, Kings and Queens: 131. William III & Mary II (1689 – 1702)

Community news

• Tell St. Paul’s Walden Parish Council your views on Luton Airport expansion

Read this edition in full here.