Welcome Return of Constituency Surgeries
Like many folk, my all too brief summer break was a “staycation”.
But those few days spent in Edinburgh really brought home to me just how much we have learned to mitigate the risks of COVID and return to some semblance of normality. I was repeatedly struck by the way in which the hospitality, entertainment and retail sectors have adapted.
From a wonderfully well organised, socially distanced day at Musselburgh races through to some enjoyable dining experiences, via safely partaking of a couple of beers in the sunshine at the Grassmarket and shopping at Livingston, businesses have consistently found means of getting back to something like normality.
And that’s very much the process my MSP office is going through too.
One of the things I have missed most during the pandemic is holding face-to-face surgeries across Angus South. Prior to the coronavirus hitting, I held surgeries in 26 different locations. I genuinely miss getting out and about and affording constituents the chance to raise issues with me in their own locality.
My staff have been working flat out since last March when the constituency office was forced to close, engaging with constituents via phone and email. However, we’ve all missed the more personal interaction that holding physical surgery events provides.
That is why we are working hard to identify which of our former venues are still available to us, and carrying out risk assessments around those which are – to ensure we can host constituents in a safe and COVID-secure way.
A deep cleaned constituency office has provided the initial opportunity. Carnoustie is likely to be next up then we’ll look to build from there.
The surgeries will be by prior appointment and will involve other sensible measures to ensure we and constituents engage in the safest way possible. More information will follow with each surgery that is organised.
But be assured the surgery rota will be restored in so far as the need to continue taking sensible precautions permits.
