Independent of party, dedicated to neighbourhood… on May 2nd 2019 why not add a community councillor to your three candidate choices for Brighton’s Queens Park ward? (for Election Booklet go to: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sp33OJ_u-dFHhtjgKDOb5WXx4UNvlcbL/view?usp=sharing )
What I believe:
In Queens Park ward and citywide citizens need far more democratic control. Our council is failing us on so many levels. We need neighbourhood-rooted community councillors free from the compromises of tribal party politics.
What I’ve done:
I have led neighbourhood battles against unscrupulous, unrestrained planning for evermore badly designed and unaffordable housing. I have raised funds and set up neighbourhood magazines, social events and pressed the council hard to give up land for use as neighbourhood gardens. I’ve given deputations to council committees on behalf of the Living Rent Campaign (challenging the council on missed opportunities for homelessness provision); on behalf of Amex Area Neighbourhood Forum (seeking a response from the council’s to its disastrous housing policy: see ‘Pied Piper Housing Policy’); and a deputation from myself asking ‘What are ward councillors for?’ (see blog post of the same name which argues that ward councillors should act as forward look-out posts – a ‘first-alert’ communicating back to constituents on the matters – especially large scale planning proposals – which consituents need to know in-time to do anything about it!!!).
What I want to do:
I want to free-up citizens to challenge their council on a range of issues from bad housing policy to bad air; from aloof decision-making to shameful wastage of public funds. I want to fight for a more democratic, transparent and accountable city council that embraces the concept of genuinely independent citizen-councillors working alongside their party political colleagues. I want to continue to transform neighbourhoods by cutting red-tape and making the things that people really want really happen!
