I’m very pleased to announce that my constituency office is now open and you are able to make an appointment to see me or one of my team.

I’ve been looking forward to re-opening the doors again as I want people to know that we’re here to help and that’s why I became an MP. I believe it’s the first time in this constituency’s history that your elected representative has had a dedicated local office in the patch.

You will find us in Exmouth, next to Rockfish by the marina. We operate an ‘appointment-only’ system to ensure your time with me or one of my team is as productive as possible. I’ll give you details of how to arrange an appointment at the end of this column.

However, it is important you know that you do not need to have an appointment with me or one of my team to get help. We can equally assist you if you contact us via email, post or by phone to discuss your problem. We can then usually respond with a solution or suggestion or make an enquiry of another organisation or agency on your behalf to help get things resolved.

Covid-19 has seen my staff and I working from home on-and-off for over a year now.

Our casework has seen many thousands of people contact me looking for support during the pandemic, either as individuals or as a local business or organisation. I am proud of how we have been able to provide help and information. The range of reasons for a constituent to get in touch have been extremely varied and sometimes we have not been able to provide an immediate answer, but we usually know of someone who can.

I will be holding regular pre-booked surgeries at my constituency office and now the pandemic restrictions are relaxing, I plan to hold surgeries elsewhere in East Devon for those unable to get to Exmouth. It matters to me greatly that you know you have a local MP who is both visible and accessible.

Part of my job as your elected representative is of course to vote and speak in Parliament, but the best bit of the job is being here in East Devon. As you can imagine, my diary does get very busy, but I assure you that I’ll always prioritise urgent casework and my team and I are here to assist you as best we can.

Nothing brings me greater satisfaction than solving a problem faced by someone who’s asked for my help. Hearing from someone that a conclusion has been reached or a resolution found to a particular problem is one of the main reasons I entered politics.

To arrange an appointment, you can call 01395 542750 and leave a message with your contact details. One of my team will get back to you. You can also email me at simon.jupp.mp@parliament.uk or send a letter to Simon Jupp MP, Mamhead View, Exmouth, EX8 1DU. Due to the sensitive nature of the cases we receive on a daily basis, we kindly request that you book an appointment before visiting the office.

I am a born and bred Devonian. It is an honour to be your local MP so please do not hesitate to contact me if I can help you.