I have lived in Cheddington for virtually all my life.

Full statement

I attended the local primary school before attending The Cottesloe School in Wing and Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School in Aylesbury, becoming Head Boy at the latter. At the age of 19, I was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to our new local MP, Laura Kyrke-Smith, a role in which I’ve gained a wealth of experience in policy work, local strategy, and dealing with constituency casework.

In my spare time, I’m a qualified rugby referee. I have a deep love for nature and the countryside; I’m a frequent visitor at College Lake and Tring Reservoirs, and I want to see us maintain and expand the access to wildlife we already enjoy. Hailing from a family of professional musicians, I’m also a keen advocate for the arts, local libraries, and cultural services.

Momentum is in our favour. At the General Election, Laura was elected as the first-ever Labour, and first-ever female, MP for Aylesbury. But with Bucks Council still under majority Conservative control, she needs local representatives who will support her and rise above petty party politics.

In my work with her, I’ve sought to champion the interests of those living in our rural areas and ensure they’re given equal weight to those of Aylesbury residents. This experience has given me unique insight into the problems faced in the villages, and a determination to help alleviate them. Increased traffic and HGVs; innumerable potholes; inadequate public transport; and insubstantial infrastructure have blighted our area for too long. After years of Conservative inertia, it’s high time for change.

As your local councillors, Trish Owen and I will work with Laura to implement the changes she was entrusted to deliver in the villages. We aim to:

- reduce traffic and fill in potholes on rural roads, giving amendments to the Freight Strategy proper scrutiny;

- ensure proper infrastructure comes before new housing, advocating a brownfield-first approach and more affordable homes;

- tackle fly-tipping and rural crime, including speeding and antisocial behaviour;
- enhance public transport in the villages, making services more regular and reliable;

- improve access to healthcare, working to solve the difficulties caused by sitting on the border of three different counties.

We want you to be part of this change and make your voice heard. You have 2 votes at your disposal on 1st May, and so we urge you to use both to vote for me and for Trish Owen at these local elections.