Stourbridge news: Chris McDonald MP said he spent the past month out in the constituency, meeting residents, traders, businesses and community groups across Stourbridge, Brierley Hill and Netherton. He said the visits let him listen to local people and take their concerns forward.
“One of the best parts of being your MP is getting out across Stourbridge, Brierley Hill and Netherton to speak with residents, businesses and community groups,” he said.
Ryemarket and Brierley Hill Market
He joined local PCSOs at Ryemarket in Stourbridge and Brierley Hill Market, where he spoke with traders, shoppers and residents about community safety and issues affecting town centres. That put day-to-day concerns about safety and budgets alongside the constituency work he described as part of the same month of visits.
“Over the past month, I've spent as much time as possible out in the constituency, listening to local people and taking their concerns forward,” he said.
Stourbridge Glass Museum and steel
He said it was “a pleasure to welcome Industry Minister Chris McDonald MP to the constituency” when he visited the Stourbridge Glass Museum. He also met local steel businesses to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the steel industry, and said, “Our manufacturing heritage is something we should be incredibly proud of, and I'll continue championing local businesses and skilled jobs at every opportunity.”
The same month also took him to the Rotary Club of Stourbridge as a guest speaker, where he thanked Andy, Tina and Liz for the welcome and for the questions they put to him. He also recorded a podcast with learners from Dudley Adult and Community Learning's Comm-Cast Project, which won the West Midlands Combined Authority Innovation in Adult Learning Award 2026.
Burnham Means Business
He welcomed the Government's Burnham Means Business package, which includes reintroducing the £2 cap on single bus fares, removing VAT from domestic electricity bills and a 20% cut in business rates for pubs, clubs and live music venues from next April. “These measures will help ease pressure on household budgets while supporting the businesses that sit at the heart of our high streets and local communities,” he said.
He said he will hold a series of coffee mornings across summer, and described them as a chance for people to raise concerns or say what they want improved in the community. The visits suggest the next round of conversations will keep centring on safety in town centres, support for local businesses and the pressure on household budgets that still runs through the constituency update.
