With your permission, Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to present a petition with several hundred signatures. May I declare an interest first? When I went along to meet the residents to talk about the issues in the petition I fell down one of the potholes to which they refer and that is why I might be limping tonight.

The petition reads:

To the Honourable the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland assembled.

The Humble Petition of the residents of the Hatton Park area in Wellingborough and surrounding areas

Sheweth that for three years they have pursued, through the appropriate channels at the Borough Council of Wellingborough and Northamptonshire County Council, improvements to the local infrastructure including the speed and volume of traffic, the poor state of roads and pavements, the large and intrusive trees and illegal and dangerous parking; notes that these improvements have not been carried out, and are concerned that they pay the highest council tax in the Borough of Wellingborough.

Wherefore your Petitioners pray that your Honourable House urges the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to liaise with the two local authorities concerned in order to investigate the concerns above and resolve the situation.

And your Petitioners, as in duty bound, will ever pray, etc.

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