“In 2016 every single one of the Conservative and LibDem councillors on SCC voted to build 179,000 more houses. Taunton's share is at least 10,000 and quite probably 17,000 houses. Which would mean another 35,000 cars.”
If you elect me to represent your interests on the Country Council I shall work with both UKIP and Independent councillors to obstruct and delay all the green field development projects that I can, to the very best of my ability. I also want to push for a reform to the long term planning that guides SCC's current approach to development. In particular to see a change of emphasis from (a presumption of the need for) new housing to one of improving the quality of life for those of us already living here.
After housing the greatest problems are those caused by the financial cuts that are trashing SCC's budget. If elected I will put a lot of effort into mitigating the damage they are doing to our social services.
When asked I will, of course, work on those irritating local issues that you need the County Council to address. Things like a lack of road signs, inconvenient yellow lines, road works... And I shall also do what I can to push for improvements to the roads and traffic flow. But to be quite honest there is very little else that a councillor can do because central government so circumscribes the authority of the council that councillors have virtually no power. I can make promises about pot-holes and pavements. But the critical issues of construction traffic on Corkscrew Lane or the motorway traffic soon to be streaming off the NIDR and using Bindon Road as a rat-run are much harder nuts to crack.
I'm willing to try but to get anything changed will take 'people power'. Let me know if there is something that so ticks you off that you're willing to protest about it.
For questions & requests for assistance email me on: plan4bl@gmail.com