Local Election Candidate for Ecclesall

I’ve lived in Greystones for 15 years with my wife and two sons who go to local schools.

I work as an advocate for people with mental health problems and have experience of challenging Council and statutory services
to do better. I’ve been active in campaigns to stop excessive supermarket development and protect local shops in Banner Cross and Sharrow Vale.

The Lib Dems have failed to protect vital public services. In coalition they have chosen to penalise people like us rather than tackle excessive pay, tax avoidance or banking reform. The cuts threaten our quality of life and the livelihoods of many people. We also risk losing valuable community assets such as the Mayfield Centre. If you elect me as your councillor, I will stand up for local people, shops and services.

Sheffield council and budget cuts

While Labour and the Lib Dems on Sheffield Council fight each other over small differences our city suffers. Green Councillors have offered real alternatives for residents eg :

• Opposition to the Highways PFI on the grounds of it’s huge, rising cost.
• Help for local people most affected by the proposed change to fortnightly bin collections.

Green councillors fought to stop the cuts from government unfairly affecting the most vulnerable. Our council budget for 2012/13 tried to cut backroom functions and the wages of top executives.

We wanted to :

• support frontline services like Citizen’s Advice and the Youth Service
• support children, elderly and disabled people
• raise standards in private-rented housing
• stop cuts to teams fighting anti-social behaviour

But we were voted down by Labour and the Lib Dems