Hi everyone,

I'm standing as a candidate in the upcoming unitary council elections for Goldsworth East and Horsell Village on May 7th, where two councillors will be elected.

Full statement

Over the past few years as a borough councillor, I’ve focused on practical local work — including refurbishing playgrounds, supporting Horsell Common Preservation Society, and helping the council navigate a very challenging financial situation, among other things.

I’m standing as part of a team with 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿, who is already a county councillor. Lance has done a huge amount of work in adult and children’s social care and SEND — areas that are vital, but often go unseen and underappreciated. They’re also some of the most complex and demanding responsibilities the new council will take on, and his experience will be incredibly important.

The move to a new unitary council will take time, but it’s a rare opportunity to put the right building blocks in place — shaping a council structure, culture and approach that will likely be in place for decades to come. It’s an area where I can make a meaningful contribution and something I'm already focussing on.

Our approach is simple: be open, be honest, and focus on what can actually be delivered — not making promises that sound good but don’t stand up to scrutiny.

As a team, we bring both strong local knowledge and experience across different parts of the system, and we’re committed to doing the job properly — as Liberal Democrats, but first and foremost as local councillors for our community.

When you vote, you will have two votes on the ballot paper — so if you do choose to support us on May 7th, please consider voting for both Liberal Democrat candidates.

Thanks for taking the time to read this,

John