Greetings! I hope Gazette readers had a restful summer, and enjoyed the good weather while we had it. When the sun is shining in Herefordshire, it doesn't get much better than that.

Alas summer's lease had all too short a date, this year as always. But the end of summer does at least mean we can move on from the usual August media silly season.

I was even a victim myself this time round. Reader, I must inform you that the press used a light-hearted quote from me very creatively indeed.

Back in Parliament, it is politics as usual. We had a financial motion last week which had 48 amendments to it. If we'd voted on every one, that would have been 12 hours just spent voting!

Brexit remains at the top of the agenda, of course. As always, I would caution readers to be sceptical about some of the dafter stories in the national media. The Government is making steady progress on an extremely complex and difficult set of issues.

And the other business of government must go on.  In my role as Roads Minister, I have been working on a new package of measures covering local roads, road safety of young people on rural roads--both issues of huge importance to this county. It won't make many headlines, but with luck it will make a lot of people's lives better and safer.

Finally, a word of congratulations to my friend Robert Gibbs, who was elected to Ross Town Council last week.

Rob is a terrific guy, who will make a great contribution to Ross in his new role. I am delighted that he has come back to Ross-on-Wye, his home town, has set up a business here and is giving an example of public leadership, in order to put something back into his--and our--community.

That's something for all of us to welcome and support.