THE Justice Minister Chris Grayling MP took an unusual tour around Yate, Chipping Sodbury and Frampton Cotterell getting first-hand experience in a police patrol car.


The Lord Chancellor, who has been the Conservative MP for Epsom and Ewell since 2001, went on patrol with Avon and Somerset officers on Thursday, March 19 with prospective MP for Thornbury and Yate, Luke Hall.


The pair spoke with the police officers about reforms and improvements that they would like to see when it comes to policing the local community, and also covered subjects such as pensions, staffing levels, police requirements at local events and what the government can do to help repeat offenders.


Chris Grayling MP said: “Accompanying police officers on patrol around Chipping Sodbury gave me a valuable insight into the work of the police in this constituency.


“It was a fantastic opportunity to listen to the officers’ views and to have some very open discussions with them about the issues that they face on a day to day basis.


“I’d like to thank Avon and Somerset Constabulary for allowing Luke Hall and I to accompany them and for making this possible.”


Luke Hall said: “I am hugely grateful to the officers who were able to show myself and the Minister around Yate and Chipping Sodbury.


“They do an excellent job locally, and the Minister’s visit is further evidence that a local, Conservative MP will be able to have a great deal of influence at Westminster in order to achieve results for our local community.”