I have lived in Harlow since 1973 and worked in local government for 40 years.

Full statement

I was employed by Harlow Council for 22 years in the Planning and Building Control service before taking early retirement to run my own small business. I am married with three sons who were all educated in local schools and have made their homes in the town.

I have experienced the town at its best and more recently at its worst. The town has become poorly maintained and public services have deteriorated due to poor council decisions and a lack of or mismanagement of finance. I now feel the time has come for local people to come together to achieve what they want for the town rather than letting politicians make poor decisions as to what they think is needed.

I believe that the public should be consulted and their views listened to in the decision making process. How many times have we had decisions made about our town and environment ignored. A prime example of this is the final adopted position of the new M11 junction 7a that will put major pressure on the town’s already congested roads when the vast majority of the people who live in the town know this was the wrong decision. Just one decision made for political reasons not for the benefit of the people.

The emergence of the Harlow Alliance Party will give people the opportunity to come together with a common purpose to get the town on its feet again both for residents and the business community.