Last month, I was delighted to speak for the first time as Minister for Small Business and Corporate Responsibility and bring forward positive draft regulations for the UK’s small and medium sized businesses (SMEs).

This morning, Kelly Tolhurst MP was joined by fellow MPs Rehman Chishti and Gordon Henderson, as well as Lead of Medway Council Cllr Alan Jarrett, at a meeting with Dr Mamun, Medway Maritime Hospital’s stroke physician to discuss the recent hyper acute stroke unit (HASU) decision.

As a lifelong Medway resident, I was devastated to learn recently that the loss of Rochester’s city status was not an administrative mistake after all, but a deliberate policy by the then Labour leadership and hidden from the public.

Last week, Tuesday 9 October, Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst met with Rail Minister Jo Johnson to discuss continuing concerns with Govia Thameslink (GTR) and Southeastern services but received assurances for service improvements in next year’s franchise renewal.

Yesterday, I was joined by Gillingham and Rainham MP Rehman Chishti to meet with the Chair and senior directors of Medway’s NHS Clinical Commissioning Group to discuss the failure to award Medway Hospital with one of three hyper acute stroke units.

I am deeply angered and frustrated with Kent and Medway Sustainability and Transformation Partnership decision to dismiss Medway Maritime’s bid to host one of three hyper acute stroke units.

Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst has shared concern that in Medway just 37.2% of years 5 and 6 children received training via the recommended Government-funded programme, Bikeability, 30.3% below the national average.

This summer recess I visited Vanquis Bank which has one of its three nationwide call centre sites based in Chatham to hear about their work and talk to them about responsible credit following the successful approval of my Breathing Space scheme into law last year.

I recently visited the Tarmac sand and gravel quarry at Kingsnorth which became fully operational last year and now serves customers across Kent and South East London.

Rochester and Strood MP Kelly Tolhurst is calling on Rochester and Strood's small shopkeepers to enter the Best Small Shops Competition, celebrating the creativity of small shops and the central role they play in their local community.