I wrote in last week’s column about the mini-budget, which the new UK government has produced. The main part of this budget was to put a guarantee on the energy price for every single business and every non-domestic user of electricity and gas in the country.

From the smallest country pub to the largest manufacturer, shops, schools, hospitals and charities will also be helped with energy costs.

This open-ended commitment to pay the difference between the market rate and the fixed price could cost up to £130bn, which is going to have to be borrowed.

It is the biggest support scheme of its kind in the whole of Europe and, for all I know, well beyond. But the sole focus of the media was on the decision to reduce the additional rate of tax back to the level at which it was set by, ironically enough, the last Labour government.

There are economic arguments in favour of lowering tax levels to bring in extra revenue but in the midst of a cost of living crisis, it was a mistake and I am glad the government has done a full U-turn on this measure.

I hope we can now get back to discussing the real purpose of the budget, which was to guarantee energy prices, save businesses from going bankrupt and ensure that public sector organisations are not seeing their money disappear on energy bills.

What a fantastic time I had at the 2022 GAVO (Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations) Volunteer Awards in Abergavenny last Wednesday.

I was met by GAVO chair Ed Watts, who was my old Scout master when I lived in Newport in the 1980s. Ed is an all-round truly wonderful person and has spent his lifetime supporting communities across Gwent.

Too many people received awards for me to single anyone out, but it was a brilliant evening and felt like a return to normal after community events like this were stopped during the Covid pandemic.

I was delighted to visit Grosmont on Saturday to view proposals for a new community hub. This is an exciting project to convert the Town Hall and make use of the building in a way that would bring direct benefits to local people.

Congratulations to Grosmont Futures, Grosmont Community Council and everyone involved. I wish you all the very best.

Coincidentally, I visited a similar community scheme just outside the constituency in Caldicot on Friday, which is already up and running.

There was too much going on for me to mention in this column, but I did meet a gentleman who was fluent in half a dozen different languages and was taking part in a language club there.