JILL MORTIMER: Changes could be made to improve the efficiency of the police service

Last Sunday I attended a service of reflection on the life of Queen Elizabeth II at St Mary Magdalene, Hart, as well as a ceremony at Victory Square to mark the National Moment of Reflection with others from the local community.

I am glad that we have all had the opportunity to pay tribute to Her late Majesty over the past weeks – whether it be by attending the lying in state, joining together in services of thanks and remembrance or quietly and personally – it has been a moving as well as an historic period in all our lives. And as we now say God Save the King, so we must move forward as a nation and look to the future.

With this in mind, I am looking forward to hosting my first Jobs and Apprenticeships Fair on October 11 at the Borough Hall. The fair is open to anyone who would like information on the wide variety of employment and educational pathways available to them in our local area.

My team have been in contact with local schools, colleges and employers to invite them along, but please do spread the word or come along yourself if you would like to hear more about the opportunities employers from Hartlepool and the wider Tees Valley can offer you.

I am eager to keep making progress on a number of important campaigns and issues and have this week written to the Chief Constable of Cleveland Police following my recent night shift with two local officers.

I was impressed by the dedication and hard work of our officers but there are changes which could be made to improve the efficiency of the service, such as the permanent reopening of Hartlepool cells and the introduction of in-house mechanics and facilities to make more timely repairs to police vehicles – I will continue to lobby for progress on these issues.

Parliament is now sitting again and with the new Cabinet in place there will be lots to do, and I will continue to champion Hartlepool in every way I can. My diary for the rest of the year is also starting to fill up, so please get in touch if you would like me to attend a specific local event. I also continue to hold monthly surgeries so please do get in contact with my office if you would like to meet with me to discuss an issue – [email protected]