Basingstoke has been my home for most of my life, and Popley for nearly 30 years. I have spent the last two years as a councillor. I have been fighting to improve our area, pushing back on poor service and shrinking funding.

It has been lovely getting to meet and speak to many residents in Popley. Being able to help make a positive difference in other people’s lives by pointing people to help or escalating issues as needed has been a privilege.

Listening to people has made me more aware of our local challenges. I have heard about the issues that affect us locally, including housing repairs, green space management, fly-tipping, and anti-social behaviour. Looking for the detail while seeing how this fits with the bigger picture is essential. I believe in a zero-tolerance approach to the upkeep of the area. Poor maintenance leads to anti-social behaviour and crime. And it impacts people’s quality of life and well-being.

For me, it is about not accepting the second best for Popley. It is about respect for all residents and finding the right solution.

I want to keep pushing for improvements and proper repairs to our public areas. I want to see better collaboration by all responsible. This includes the council, housing associations, and public services such as the police.

For these reasons, I am standing again as the Labour candidate for Popley. I want to continue with what I have started and make Popley a better place for all.