I have lived in close proximity to Ecclesall for all my life, I appreciate what a privilege it is to live in such a green and pleasant area of our city.

Full statement

I am, however, concerned to see the negative changes in our city, and, if elected, would fight against further changes to the detriment of Sheffield’s heritage.

If elected I would campaign and be proactive in voting to protect our city’s green belt and community areas, and promote development on brown field sites, and renovating the approximately 7000 empty properties around the city, and making full use of buildings like Moorfoot and Park Hill flats, which are standing half empty. By voting en masse for the Sheffield Plan, the Green Party Councillors have ignored the voices of thousands of residents across the city this plan will directly affect.

Probably the most common theme canvassers have encountered on the doorstep is potholes. The roads in Sheffield are terrible, and any repairs are shoddy and temporary at best, and not fit for purpose. Contractors need to shape up or be replaced. Sheffield has businesses collapsing due to the clean air zone charges, and lack of parking. Tradesmen are unable work in the city centre due to the ULEZ charges. Because of this the residential roads skirting the charging zone have much higher traffic and poorer air quality as a consequence. How can this be seen as beneficial for our residents? We need to have sensible, non-punitive policies, and stop the war on motorists. Council spending on white elephant projects such as the Dutch roundabouts, which hardly sees any cyclists, are seen as vanity projects and a waste of money that could be spent on important services.

Anti-social behaviour in the city is getting worse. Electric bikes and scooters being driven dangerously in busy areas and through shopping arcades. Parks and open
spaces are no longer safe spaces for small children to play. Areas in the city are covered in Graffiti. There is a lack of local policing. We need to encourage recruitment into the Police force, provide more local youth provision, and, for those intent on continuing this anti-social behaviour, there should be appropriate consequences. As already stated, there is little provision for young people, we need more youth centres and much more provision for apprenticeships for school leavers in our city.

The cost of living crisis is crippling working families. This is not helped by the fact that we have one the highest rates of council tax in the country. For a band D property in Sheffield it is £2384.08 pa. The cost for band D properties in the country is £1028.21 pa for the cheapest, the most expensive being £2765.02, with the City of Westminster being less than half of Sheffield at £1049.55!!! Council tax has increased by 25 per cent in the past five years, yet the council CEO earns over £218,000 a year, which is more than the Prime Minister. There are also another 12 members of staff within the council with salaries of over £100,000. The years of years of maladministration by Labour and the Liberal Democrat must end, Sheffield has run up £745 million worth of debt, costing over £27 million a year just in interest - the equivalent of £75,000 a day. Yet the council continues to spend money on white elephant projects. As Reform Uk councillors we will ask for transparency and accountability and let the local residents have more input in spending decisions.