I am intending to stand and seek nomination for the Saffron Walden Division of Essex County Council on May 7^th. I have lived and worked in Saffron Walden my whole life, and I want better representation for our local area. I will also be standing as a candidate in the Audley Ward by-election for Saffron Walden Town Council on the same day. The Saffron Walden Division covers the town itself, as well as The Chesterfords, Littlebury, and Wendens Ambo.

I believe we need local politics to get back to a place where our local Councillors represent the whole community, and work for them, to not only ensure important services are maintained to a high standard, but also ensure that their views and concerns are directly represented to the Council. This must include local businesses, the community, faith groups, and self-employed people. Residents should be able to raise their concerns directly with their local Councillor; there shouldn’t be any barriers between the community and their elected representatives. Nor should the role be simply used as a way of gaining prestige locally. Residents must come first.  

We are also lucky to have so many excellent independent local businesses, employers, and tradespeople in and around Saffron Walden. They often feel their needs and views are underrepresented on our local Councils. Let’s be frank, our Town centre and industrial sites would have died off long ago without their hard work and input into the Town, so it is only right that a local Councillor should be supportive of their views/concerns if raised. I would offer myself as a link between those businesses, tradespeople, and the wider self-employed and our County Council if elected. The local economy is essential to the survival of the Town, and it simply must be supported if we are to prosper.

Too many local elections end up being a mud-slinging exercise or entirely focused on national issues. While I appreciate there are concerns with the picture nationally, the reality is that a local Councillor’s first duty is to their community. That means prioritising local issues above all else and ensuring that they don’t get lost in the background. I, like many people, have become frustrated with the national political scene and the era of soundbite politics with very little substance. What I want to achieve as a local Councillor is to get our local politics back to good, local representation. If residents raise an issue with me, I will take it forward. I will work for the community regardless of how they vote, and put our area first above all else. That is the point of the local Councillor. Some of our Councillors have been elected here for close to, or over 20 years. We need a different approach, and that’s exactly what I will bring.

So that aside, what would I priortise if elected? My priority would be to introduce a new pothole and highway issues reporting system. The current system is not fit for purpose. I would also offer myself as a direct link between the Council and residents to lobby Essex Highways to get the potholes fixed and the roads maintained. This is an area that has frankly been slept on for too long in our area, and our roads have suffered as a result.

The next issue I would focus on is local transport. We are an area with many commuters living locally, yet we don’t have adequate provision for greener modes of transport to help take pressure off our roads, nor do we have appropriate bus services. The roads are not coping. A 21^st-century approach is needed to help resolve these issues, especially as we’ve been subject to much development in recent years without the necessary infrastructure.

We pay some of the highest rates of Council Tax in this area, across three main local authorities. It seems that while our Council Tax increases year on year, the service we see in return for our tax seems to continuously diminish. It’s time the ordinary people got better value for their money, and our local politicians respect every penny spent, and that’s exactly what I will do if elected.

Ultimately, I believe a Councillor is beholden to the electorate. They shouldn’t be there for any other reason than to represent the people. The community, local businesses, and employers must come first. If an issue is raised, it must be championed by the elected representative, and while they might not be able to resolve every issue brought forward, it is their duty to try. With this in mind, I’d like to hear from as many residents as possible. I would like to know what they would like me to take forward if elected. I can’t promise to change the world overnight or to achieve immediate results, but I can promise I will work hard on your behalf, both before and after the election.

I can be contacted at: david@saffronwaldenessex.uk

I look forward to hearing from residents over the coming weeks.