First and foremost I will listen to your concerns.

Full statement

I will pursue the injustices and wrongs currently being inflicted on us all by our Labour-controlled council. I won't just talk - I will act on what you tell me, your needs and priorities and challenge the status quo, to cut waste and the current mis-management of resources.

Specifically will act to:

1. Make Queens Park safer for everyone
2. Question the council's vanity projects and the spending of your money on ideological initiatives rather than projects that improve the lives of residents
3. Better maintenance of our public spaces and estates - not just patch-ups & gaffer-tape repairs
4. Demand genuine, meaningful consultation on all major council projects before contracting
5. Abolishing 20-year contracts that lock residents into poor value and prevent effective controls over poor repairs

My background is in journalism (old school trained on local newspapers when we spoke to people and went out to meet them and listen) and I have sat in council meetings and I know how to challenge the decisions being made to spend our money unwisely. I will cut waste, deliver and make a difference. Thank you for reading. Avril O'Connor