My Priorities
I’m out listening to local people all year round, and I will act on the issues that matter most to you and our communities:
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I’m out listening to local people all year round, and I will act on the issues that matter most to you and our communities:
Individuals and families are being forced to make impossible choices, while oil and gas producers are raking in record profits and bankers have never had it so good.
At the same time, young people are struggling to find decent jobs that pay – let alone get a foot on the housing ladder. The costs of childcare are extortionate, keeping the parents – often women – who want to work out of work. I will prioritise these issues in a way that puts people and places first.
After 12 years of Tory cuts and underinvestment, our public services and dedicated workers need to be properly supported and invested in again. Our ambulance wait times here are the worst in the country. It’s almost impossible to register with an NHS dentist.
Crime and anti-social behaviour are growing concerns locally – everyone deserves to feel safe here. Capacity in our schools, GP surgeries and on our roads must also be considered as more homes and the exciting new arena is built. I will push for proper investment in and support for our public services and workers, raise local issues and get action wherever needed.
From ensuring there are enough affordable homes for people to rent or buy, to preserving the culture of our communities and protecting our environment as they are built or converted, housing is a critical issue across Filton and Bradley Stoke.
Using my experience campaigning to improve housing and tackle homelessness, I will work closely with the community, council, Metro Mayor and government to make sure that these issues we face locally are front and centre – and acted on.
It is too hard to get across our community, and harder to know if a bus we’re relying on to get to work, to a hospital appointment or to see friends and family will even turn up.
I have already brought local people together with the Metro Mayor to share views on the bus service we need. I will be an active champion of reliable and public transport to help more people to feel able to use this to get from A to B in a more environmentally friendly way.
We need to have more good jobs and training available in the industries of the future here – including hydrogen energy for flight, building on Filton’s proud aerospace heritage. We need to better connect school, college and university graduates to local employers, so that people don’t feel they need to leave the place they call home to have a chance to succeed.
If done right, there are many opportunities ahead for our local industries and workers and I will work with businesses, unions and co-operatives to help make sure that our local people and places benefit from them.
We must protect our planet and our stunning nature here in Filton and Bradley Stoke for future generations to enjoy. We already face real risks of an increase in flooding locally, and we’ve all felt the effects of an unusually hot few months.
I will work actively within the community and in Parliament to get the support that local people and organisations want and need. From making it easier and cost-effective for people to insulate homes to help keep energy bills down, to working towards the larger scale leadership and co-operation needed at a national and international level, I will be a strong advocate for action.