The Rt. Hon Edward Argar MP Member of Parliament for Melton and Syston

I wanted to update STN readers on a couple of local issues that I know remain of concern to the town. Firstly, I took the opportunity recently to speak in the House of Commons about the strong local opposition to the city mayor’s proposed land-grab of villages and towns like Syston, Thurmaston, Queniborough and other nearby villages which would see them absorbed into an expanded city as part of the Government’s reorganisation of local government. I set out to the Minister the local opposition to any such change, and called on the Minister to commit that our area would not be absorbed against its wishes into the city. While she refused to give that commitment, I will continue to fight for local views to be listened to, and for Syston to remain where it rightly belongs – firmly in the county of Leicestershire.
It was also a real pleasure, during Community Transport Week recently, to pay a visit to Paul Lomas, Chairman of Syston and District Volunteer Centre (SDVC), the Centre’s Trustees, and the team to hear more about their work in the community over the past year, their many awards over recent years for the fantastic work their volunteer drivers do, and the challenges they and other volunteer centres face, for example in finding more volunteer drivers. 
The SDVC has over 50 volunteer drivers on its books, but additional suitable volunteers are always needed, particularly after the Centre’s record c.9,200 trips for people in the year prior to the end of September. Syston and our area is incredibly lucky to have something as special as the volunteer centre in the town, providing volunteer drivers to help, for example, get members of the local community to hospital appointments etc. It is a huge jewel in Syston’s crown, and that is down to the trustees and volunteers who help, literally, keep the show on the road – my huge thanks on behalf of our local community to them all. 
More broadly, as always, if you feel as Syston’s local MP I can potentially be of assistance with anything please do email me at Edward.argar.mp@parliament.uk or write to me at: The Rt. Hon Edward Argar MP, House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA.