AFTER a gruelling election campaign the real work begins today for Colne Valley’s new MP.

Jason McCartney will hold his first constituency surgery at Slaithwaite Civic Hall this morning.

Seven weeks after he was elected, the Conservative is having to learn fast.

“Our caseload is well into triple figures already,” he said. “We’ve got cases about benefits, immigration, student finance.

“There are a lot of child support cases – I didn’t realise there are 1.6 million people in this country paying child support.

“It’s fascinating, you get a real cross-section of life.”

Today’s surgery in Slaithwaite will be the first of many across the constituency which includes the Holme Valley, Lindley and Crosland Moor.

However, constituents will have to make an appointment after London MP Stephen Timms was stabbed as he held a surgery last month.

Mr McCartney said: “After what happened to Stephen Timms, the advice is not to go somewhere and take people off the street, so people need to pre-book.”

The Conservative MP has just moved into his new office at 24 Huddersfield Road in Holmfirth.

Following the expenses scandal, Mr McCartney is determined to keep costs down – whether that means finding a cheap office, hiring fewer staff or even borrowing stationary from a political opponent.

He said: “I’m renting from Neil Worthington of Worthington Brown who offered me a nice cheap rent of £515 a month all-in.

“I wanted somewhere quite central and on the ground floor. I was also looking for somewhere that I could give directions to in one sentence.

“We just tell people that the office is opposite Ashley Jackson’s and most people know where it is.”

Mr McCartney has one part-time and three full-time staff to help him.

Meltham man John Travis has been appointed his office manager with Sally Cook of Batley working as secretary and case-worker in Holmfirth.

Tony Brice, who was a Kirklees councillor for Lindley from 2006 to 2010, has been appointed a part-time caseworker.

And in London, former Conservative student activist Martine Martin is working as Mr McCartney’s secretary.

The MP plans to spend around £75,000 on staff costs this year – well below the maximum of £109,000.

And Mr McCartney got some help saving on office expenses from an unlikely source – Ian Leedham, office manager for his predecessor as MP, Labour’s Kali Mountford.

He said: “Ian brought us some left-over stationary – House of Commons envelopes and things like that. Ian and Kali have been very helpful, they have given me lots of advice.”

Mr McCartney spends an average of three nights a week in London and – as a former RAF officer – he has been able to save on accommodation before he finds a flat to rent.

He said: “I’ve been staying at the RAF Club for £59 a night, which is very good for central London. I’ll look for a flat after Parliamentary recess because I don’t want to be paying rent on a flat that I’m not using during August.”

To contact the Colne Valley MP write to: Jason McCartney MP, Upperbridge House, 24 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth, HD9 2JS.

You can also email jason.mccartney.mp@parliament.uk or call 01484 688 364 or 01484 688 378.