Over 60 per cent of appeals against council car parking tickets succeed across England. As regular readers know I have long argued for free car parks in Retford and Worksop but my arguments have been ignored by the council.

I also have argued that the chaotic parking in Bridge Street and outside the Town Hall needs sorting and I have tabled a motion in Parliament to remove the anomaly that allows foreign vehicles to quite easily avoid payments by being registered abroad. In the meantime I propose that the police tow away foreign registered vehicles that are illegally parked.

The situation in Bridge Street remains chaotic. We need proper disabled parking, regular traffic wardens, police arresting illegal cyclists and shoppers able to shop safely without the danger of cars or bikes running them over. What could be more obvious or simpler to sort? I offer my services to convene a working group of all interested parties to resolve this problem once and for all.

However I have found that council car parks tickets are regularly given out wrongly and illegally. This matches the new national statistics of 60 % success in appealing. I am able to help with advice on any appeal and we have won some. If in doubt come in and see me!

I am regularly asked to attend events in Worksop on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when Parliament is sitting. It is usually impossible as I my job is to be in Parliament as your representative. There are many occasions when I would prefer to be with the people of Bassetlaw, but you cannot be in two places at once. Organisations wanting me to visit are recommended to suggest Monday mornings, Fridays and weekends and I will do my best to oblige.

There have been some delays to the development of Steetley brickworks by Laing O’Rourke. Every planning application needs thorough assessment and sometimes modification, but this important new job creation needs to get a quick thumbs up. We want these jobs and we want them as soon as possible.

Victory for the families of residents at James Hince Court! They played a blinder in their campaign, thinking through the issue, seeing the point of view of others and then calmy explaining the real situation.

The real situation is this: We need more dementia care. We have not just kept this home open, but something far more important. James Hince Court has been designated as a specialist dementia care centre for the whole of our area, dealing with residents and day attendees. Let us all shout this good news out loud and thank you to everyone who has made this happen.