Last week saw the first significant snowfall of winter and parts of my constituency saw considerably more than others. In Southampton there was fairly little snow on the ground, whilst in the north, towards Basingstoke, there were more significant deposits.

In a demonstration of the community spirit Romsey residents are always proud of, a number of local residents contacted me about a rough sleeper in Romsey and shared their concerns about his safety in the cold weather. My staff spent some time with him late on Thursday night and I know Test Valley Borough Council officers and the police have been working very hard to try to provide assistance. While, of course, I cannot go into any detail, I can reassure worried residents that help is being offered to this gentleman.

On Saturday, despite the very cold weather, it was great to join in with the Chinese New Year celebrations in Southampton. The UK Shaolin Temple is based just over the border from my constituency and the traditional lion dance and martial arts displays they produced were fantastic.

On Friday I look forward to meeting members of the local farming community along with representatives of the National Farmers’ Union. Agriculture is a significant part of the economy here and I try to meet with local representatives regularly to discuss their concerns. I had promised myself I wouldn’t use the ‘B word’ in this week’s column, however I suspect the ever-looming prospect of a no-deal situation will feature in our discussions.

Finally, I am yet to hear from Santander after requesting they review their planned closure in Romsey. I am very concerned about the affect this will have on those who do not use digital services and will continue to press for a change of decision.

Caroline Nokes MP