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Dinenage attends crucial FirstPort service meeting

By Linden Grigg

GOSPORT MP, Dame Caroline Dinenage, brought together a group of fellow Conservative colleagues in Parliament this week as they scrutinised the record of FirstPort Property Management; who manage ten developments across her constituency and have received recent criticism for poor surface.

Ms Dinenage had previously coordinated a letter from MPs in November highlighting issues with the property management service and lead the meeting in Westminster on Wednesday (January 15); where FirstPort were accused of hiking services charges to customers despite a corresponding drop in the level of service. They were furthermore said to be dodging scrutiny by employing opaque customer service practices.

Martin King apologised for FirstPort’s record and laid out the company’s plans for improvement over the course of the hour-long meeting. The group agreed to host a debate in Parliament to highlight the company’s failures and hold a further meeting later in the year to track FirstPort’s progress on improvements for customers.

The Gosport MP said after the meeting: ‘I am grateful to Mr King for coming to Parliament and for his recognition that FirstPort has not provided an adequate service. We were robust in the defence of our constituents and he will have gone away with a clear idea of the strength of feeling among Conservative MPs against their abysmal service. FirstPort still has a long way to go to persuade us that it is working in the best interests of residents.”

FirstPort Managing Director Martin King said: “We appreciate the opportunity to speak with MPs and hear their concerns.  Our team will respond to the requests raised in the meeting, and work with MPs on a longer-term basis to demonstrate how the changes we are making at FirstPort will improve services. We would like to thank all who attended for their time and valuable contributions.”

PICTURED BY CAROLINE DINENAGE: Group of Conservatives MPs and FirstPort representatives meet in Westminster on Wednesday.