I hope you all had a good summer and managed to get a break. Although it has been recess my office staff and I have continued to help constituents who need support from us. In August alone there were 551 queries answered and cases closed by my caseworkers, with 108 further constituents receiving help.

I went out with the police in Garston to see firsthand how they and other partners are working to combat anti-social behaviour under the bridge. I visited Specsavers in Belle Vale to hear how they can help diagnose and treat emergency eye conditions with their Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS), which isn’t currently available in South Liverpool. I’m aiming to put that right and make sure the ICB commission this valuable service that would help cut A&E visits and give people piece of mind without having to spend hours in a hospital setting.

I helped launch the National Literary Trust’s 21^st reading hub at Five in Speke where you may have seen on social media I met The Grufallo and saw over 80 families come through the door on the day, many with children who have never read for pleasure. Thanks to the NLT and Very Group, who sponsored the event and are continuing to provide support, every family left with a book to take home.

I also visited Bridge Chapel in Allerton to see some of the services they offer, including Women’s Aid, South Liverpool Food Bank and their day care services for adults with learning difficulties. It’s always been a fantastic place to visit and it was great to hear about their plans for the future.

I was proud to be invited to open Associated British Ports’ new office building at Garston Docks. The docks have been a part of Garston’s history for over 150 years and continue to be a valuable local employer. The new building shows ABP’s commitment to keeping the docks going into the future as well.

At Elanco on Fleming Road in Speke I caught up with the management team after they bought the site back earlier this year to discuss support for their plans to safeguard the plant and ensure jobs are safe going forward.

That’s alongside visiting the new shops on Mather Ave with Cllr Kimberley Berry who has helped to fill some of the retail spaces that have been empty on there for some time. By the end of the year these should almost all be taken, which I was pleased to see.