Well it seems the local election season in Reading has now begun and I’ve decided to stand again in 2014 to represent Whitley as an Independent Candidate. I made the conscious decision in 2012 to stand an an independent candidate as I didn’t wait to get bogged down in party politics. I want to represent the people that vote for me and meet their needs – not the needs of a political party.
As you will see throughout this website, I have made a number of promises to the residents of Whitley. To me, they’re rather simple but I’d like to give an explanation and the resoning behind some of them.
- Continue to listen to residents and be accessible at all times
This underlies why any residents decides to stand in an election. To me, it’s to make a difference for the community that I live in. I can do that by simply listening to residents – my neighbours – and respond to the issues that they present. This means being accessible to them. Whether that is in person, by phone, by social media or skype. Living in Whitley, I talk to people on the bus, in the street and in the local bar. - Represent the rights and needs of our area on the council and make sure that my vote on the council is used for the benefit of Residents.
Again, this is why most people stand in a local election. I believe that you can only do this if you are not a member of a political party. - Protect valuable services used by people in our area and ensure that vulnerable adults and children get the support that they need
Working in Social Care, I see the results of austerity measures on the people I cae and support for on a daily basis. I’m passionate about ensuring that those who are vulnerable recieve the care and support they need, when they need it. What I do find distateful, is the game of political ping-pong that political parties play when discussing social care. We need to be innovative if we are going to meet the needs of older people. This means working together to create a solution that needs to be cost affective, that protects the vulnerable and meets the needs and outcomes of an individual requiring care services. It’s a problem that requires a solution and Local Authorities should be engaging with Social Care Professionals and Service Users to solve this problem. - Work with residents, local police teams and Neighbourhood Action Groups to cut crime in our area
I believe that together we can tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. I’m a strong supported of neighbourhood watch for example. Residents need to be empowered to report anti-social behaviour and crime. - Fight for investment in our neighbourhoods to help build cleaner, stronger, safer communities
- Continue to fight against discrimination in our ward as well as Reading
As many know with my involvement with the Reading Pride Festival and the Annual Hate Crime Vigil, I abor discrimination in all its forms. I was subject to dog whistling tactics during the 2011 election about my sexuality. Yes, I’m openly gay but that doesn’t make me or any other individual a second class citizen. We should celebrate and embrace our towns rich culture and diversity. - Be here all year – not just in the lead up to an election
One of the complaints I hear where I live on Kennet Island is that elected officials only seem to be visble in the lead up to an election. I want to be visible. Afterall, I live here and to keep my other promises I need to be visible all year round!
So who else is standing in the 2014 Local Elections for Whitley Ward?
So far, I can determine that the following candidates have indicated that they are standing:
- Labour – Rachel Eden
- Conservative – Nick Brown
- Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition – Philip Dixon
- Lib Dem – Janel Blattler
- UKIP – TBA
- Green Party – Keith Johnson
I will add names and any other candidates as they become announced. With Howard Thomas defecting to UKIP from The Common Sense Party, I’m not sure on the Common Sense Party’s status.
Some of these candidates will be actively campaigning in Whitley whilst others are just what’s knows as ‘Paper Candidates’. This means that a lib dem supporter, for example, will have a lib dem candidate to vote for. I personally belive that this is a waste of an individuals vote and disrespectful to the voter if political parties are just doing it to put name on a ballot paper.