What I Stand For.

I have four areas that will be a focus for me – and some things to know about me

Safer streets

Our streets and pavements are a mess. Potholes everywhere and no real effort to make them safe. We have multiple speed limits all across the County and poor strategic vision about transport. This has been driven by the Liberal and Green sixth form politics. We need proper investment into roads and streets, and sensible speed limits. Let’s get our County moving again.

Stronger families

We start before school. We need more investment into troubled families and supporting parents to give children the strongest start. Every child should be a talker and reader by the time they get to primary school. When at school children should be safe, supported well – with things like SEND fully funded – and when in difficulty get mental health support. That way every child will leave school able to work, play a role in society – and build their own stronger families. That keeps down the costs of failing families

Better decision making by our Councils

No decision should be made about you, without you. Too many decisions are made behind closed doors or not consulted on properly. As your Councillor I will knock on your door once a year – not every four years - and any big decision should have public involvement first. Things like the Afghan placement in Watchfield and Shrivenham (the biggest decision affecting this community in years) was taken in private by the Green Councillor. This should have been discussed in many public meetings first. You deserve open and transparent Government. Government with proper public involvement is long overdue

Better finances

The political decisions of the Liberal Democrats and Greens mean that Oxfordshire has the highest Band D Council tax in England. Not Kensington and Chelsea – Oxfordshire. Our Councils are spending money on things that make little sense to a rural community for example, nearly £18m on three roundabouts and millions on a Park and Ride in Oxford City that never opened. We need better financial decision making and our bills need to come down

And about me – I am 57 years old, and have been a Councillor in the past, serving Lambourn Valley residents for many years when I lived in Berkshire. For the last 10 years I have lived in Letcombe Regis with my wife and two sons and as I near retirement I have the time to serve the 10,000 people that live in the Shrivenham division as our County Councillor.