KCC elections 2021: What the candidates say

We asked the same questions to all the candidates in the forthcoming KCC election.

Unfortunately only two candidates replied and we publish their answers below.

Nothing was heard from either the Liberal Democrat candidate or the incumbent Conservative candidate.

Here are the questions we asked:

Question 1:
 Environment: What Key policies  in regard to meeting national targets
on pollution would you promote in our area?

 Question 2:
 Housing and Social care: What local infrastructures would you
introduce/promote to improve quantities/conditions in these areas?

 Question 3:
 Transport: In what way/ways would you seek to improve
transport/roads/rail travel in this division? Including addressing
affordability and accessibility especially bus fares for schoolchildren

 Question 4:
 Leisure and Sport facilities: Health and wellbeing. Open spaces and
protecting woodlands. Give your top three priorities to address the
above.

 Question 5:
 Local democracy: How would you improve residents’ participation in the
local decision making processes?

Replies, in alphabetical order:

Jean Butcher: Labour

Question 1:
We know we have a climate and environmental emergency and
this election is our best hope to protect future generations.
Air pollution contributes to over 40,000 premature deaths a
year. All cars must switch off their engines while waiting at the
level crossing in Sturry. Social housing needs to be upgraded to
be carbon neutral.and all new builds must be built to the
highest standards.

Question 2;
We must build a mixture of social housing and affordable
housing. We know that people like to work where they live but
the wages in the district are low and house prices high. We
must relate to the area where we live and not to the National
affordable housing figures.
We must have a National care service. We need a resilient
system like the NHS.
1.A real living wage for all care workers
2.A standard contract for care work.
3.Significant, emergency government funding.

4. Professional standards.
5. 5 A partnership working group tasked to create a national care
   service.
   
   Question 3;
   We must ensure that councils can improve bus services by
   regulating and taking public ownership of bus networks. Free
   bus passes for all school children are needed to stop the car
   school run. We need to increase and expand local services
   reinstating the 3000 routes that have been cut, particularly
   hitting rural communities. We need to take railways back into
   public ownership enabling us to make fares simpler and more
   affordable.
   
   Question 4;
   Open spaces must be protected and more trees need to be
   planted. We need to bring back a sense of pride to the
   community where we live.Parks for children must be clean and
   well maintained. During this pandemic people have taken walks
   more seriously therefore our country side needs to be looked
   after with more enforcement for fly tipping.
   
   Question 5;
   The word is Local; Resident associations need to be
   encouraged. Parish councillors need to be listened to. The rural
   forums should be reinstated because I believe it is the local
   residents who know more about the challenges and problems
   that affect them in their daily lives that I would ever know but I
   am very good at listening and I do not know it all but hopefully
   will know someone who does.
   .

Andrew Harvey, Green Party

Question 1:
Environment: What Key policies  in regard to meeting national targets on pollution would you promote in our area?
I have been a Parish Councillor in Herne & Broomfield for ten years, as one of the first Parish Councils to form it’s own Climate action Group I am very much aware of the appalling air quality at the monitoring site in Herne in particular. My main policy would be to encourage alternative transport modes and reduce idling of engines, particularly outside schools and at the level crossing. I fully support electric vehicle charging points throughout the area, and renewable energies.Not only do I live in Broomfield, but my son lives and works in Sturry and I believe we need to act now on pollution and climate change for the future of our children and grandchildren..

Question 2:
Housing and Social care: What local infrastructures would you introduce/promote to improve quantities/conditions in these areas?
I am already involved in Community Led housing projects with the Parish Council which I am passionate about furthering and expanding. I support the integration of health and social care.

Question 3:
Transport: In what way/ways would you seek to improve transport/roads/rail travel in this division? Including addressing affordability and accessibility especially bus fares for schoolchildren
We need more and cheaper electric buses, decent dedicated cycle routes to schools and town centres, improvements to Sturry station to provide cheap short hop journeys to Canterbury and beyond.I want to see proper joined up thinking on transport when approving new developments, and for the infrastucture to be provided early on during construction.

Question 4:
Leisure and Sport facilities: Health and wellbeing. Open spaces and protecting woodlands. Give your top three priorities to address the above.
So hard to pick three: Better cycling and walking paths. Encouraging school groups to visit Reculver Country Park and Blean WoodlandsWork with CPRE to try and obtain legal protection of woodlands.

Question 5:
Local democracy: How would you improve residents’ participation in the local decision making processes?

That’s a great question and something that’s sorely lacking, especially since the loss of our local forums. I think it can be achieved by working with the Parish Councils and local clubs & societies (who have great routes of access through social media) , and through community centres and local wardens to reach out to residents to inform and consult. As a Green Party Councillor I am not told how to vote so I am genuinely able to represent our local people and not a political party.

Our thanks to both candidates for taking the time to respond.

VOTING IS ON MAY 6th,

7am to 10pm

Remember to wear a mask.

Finally, there are also elections for a Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent on the same day. You will have two votes, and can choose from three candidates in the Kent Police force area.

The candidates are:

Graham Colley, Liberal Democrats

Lola Oyewusi, Labour and Co-operative Party

Matthew Scott, Conservative and Unionist Party

https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/elections/CT2%200BL/#election_pcc.kent.2021-05-06

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