This week, in Coundon, Sam Rushworth MP held his 100th constituency surgery since being elected in July 2024.
Sam began hosting regular surgeries soon after he was elected to give residents an opportunity to meet face-to-face with him, as their Member of Parliament, and discuss issues with which they need his advice or support.
“An MPs time is divided between three broad areas of work: firstly, we are legislators, elected to sit in parliament scrutinising, debating, and passing laws, and holding the government to account; secondly, we are champions for the places we represent and we campaign for improvements; but a third really important role of an MP is to advocate on behalf of individuals in their constituency. These are often people who need help claiming their rights or challenging unfairness”
“It was important to me from day one that residents know, however they voted, I am here to serve them. So, I have made sure to host as many daytime and evening sessions as possible across our towns and villages whenever I am back in the constituency.” Sam said.
Different to the coffee mornings that Sam has held to meet people in small groups, surgery appointments are private and typically last around 20 minutes, giving an opportunity for residents to meet with Sam and a member of his casework team. While most attend to discuss and seek support with personal issues, others use the opportunity to raise policy concerns or discuss Sam’s work in Parliament. Following each meeting, Sam and his team agree on action points and work towards resolving the issues raised.
Each surgery event includes six individual appointments, meaning there have already been 600 opportunities for private consultations, a number that continues to grow.
Reflecting on the milestone, Sam said:
“Some MPs and Councillors hold only a handful of surgery events each year, so being honest I’m incredibly proud to have reached this point. From the moment I was elected, I knew this office had the potential to transform people’s lives, and I have found it a deeply rewarding part of my job to be able to achieve positive outcomes and see the relief or joy that brings”
“We’ve helped resolve local issues such as getting the council to reinstate public waste bins. We’ve unblocked systems, such as getting driving licences reinstated and passports issued when government agencies have been unacceptably slow. We’ve helped obtain social housing for people in need; secured more appropriate support for numerous children with Special Educational Needs; and helped residents access thousands of pounds in pensions they were locked out of. I was thrilled when my team were able to deliver a veterans’ meritorious service medal to him after his never arrived in the post.
“We’ve also achieved some major casework wins on behalf of whole groups: such as saving dozens of jobs just before Christmas two years in a rrow – one when the council was wrongly closing down a popular business due to a dispute over whether it was retail or wholesale, and another which required me to knock on a Treasury Minister’s door to get HMRC to slow down a debt repayment – securing a council tax reduction for a street which had be incorrectly banded; increasing visible policing in a neighbourhood that was impacted by crime families; and successfully persuading government to set up a public inquiry into the local mental health trust on behalf of people who lost loved ones in its care.”
“One of my proudest “casework wins” so far came from a 15-minute appointment by someone who started with “my neighbours all think it’s a waste of time coming to see you but…”. That led to securing thousands of pounds of compensation payouts and free new heat-pump installations for an entire new estate of pensioners who being ripped off due to badly designed heating systems in their bungalows.”
Sam emphasised that all residents are encouraged to get in touch:
“We’ve handled thousands of emails and are here to help you too- it doesn’t matter whether an issue feels big or small. My shopfront office on Newgate Street is open and accessible. If the shutter is up, please feel free to call in, or you can email us with any concerns.”
Residents can contact Sam by emailing or by visiting www.samrushworth.co.uk for more information.
