AFTER a warm and sunny June, July really does seem determined to prove the soggy British summer stereotype right.

Still, community groups, churches and others are pushing on and organising their usual summer fetes, fayres and fun days.

Last week I had the pleasure of going along to the annual summer fete at St Andrew’s Church in Netherton. The rain meant the event had to be brought indoors, but with the efforts of Sue, Steve, Richard and all the fantastic volunteers, the event was still a success and raised hundreds of pounds.

This week the Prime Minister has announced new plans on future housing. This is based on the principle of making it easier to build new homes in city centres to help take pressure off our much-loved green belt and green spaces.

As a strong opponent of building on our greenbelt, I very much welcome these new plans. Especially when compared with recent announcements from the leader of the Labour party in which he has pledged that his party would bring back mandatory housing targets – meaning local people and local councils would have less say over where new homes are built in their areas, potentially forcing councils to allow building on green belt, even if local residents and councillors object.

In my last column, I said that the House of Commons had been busy trying to pass the Illegal Migration Bill in the face of opposition from the House of Lords.

I am pleased to say that the House of Lords finally backed down, and the King has given the Bill Royal Assent, changing the law to make it explicitly clear that those who enter the UK illegally will not be able to remain here. Instead, once the Act comes into force, they will be detained and promptly removed either to their home country or to a safe country where any asylum claim will be considered.

Crucially, politically backed left wing lawyers will no longer be able to frustrate removal attempts with late or spurious legal challenges or appeals. Any appeals will have to be heard from the safe country and, once removed, individuals will have no right to re-entry, settlement or citizenship.

Locally, I am in the final stages of organising this year’s mobile surgery summer tour. I will be taking my pull-up banner to shopping areas and town centres around Dudley South during the week of August 7, and so please do come over if there is an issue that you would like to raise, a problem that I might be able to help with, or if you just want to say hello.

We will be sending out posters to community centres and libraries with the full schedule over the next few days and there will be details on my Facebook page, but if you would like to know when I am going to be near you email mike.wood.mp@parliament.uk or call 01384 913123.