As a young working-class local, I’ve experienced the ups and downs of the area over time.

Full statement

I’m tired of being disappointed. I’m ready for real positive change for Victoria Ward and this town. Are you? If elected I will focus on putting the people first, creating a brighter future and making a safer community to live in. To put the heart back into Hartlepool.

To be more precise, my policies are:

• Investing in making streets cleaner and communities safer. Reducing environment waste and pollution to protect our people, spaces & wildlife.

• Ensuring accessible and affordable housing where landlords and housing companies can’t abuse the right to profit. Using rent freezes for social housing tenants as a start.

• Investing into infrastructure, communities and small business to grow the heart of the town.

• Uplifting art and culture in the town to enrich its history while providing jobs, opportunity and tourism.

• Improving places of education and youth programmes to ensure a better future for young people. Helping to develop innovation and in turn reducing potential crime related offences.

• Developing the health sector and supporting NHS practices, including mental health programmes.

• Tackling addiction through rehabilitation treatment instead of criminalisation. Utilising the new drug and alcohol treatment centre to help addiction and recovery using drug regulation. In turn reducing crime rate.

• Supporting marginalised groups such as LGBTQ+ and ethnic minorities.