Whilst Derbyshire is not my home county, it is my wife's.

Full statement

She was born in Darley Dale and her maternal family are from Stanton in Peak, her father was raised in Matlock Bath.

Until a few weeks ago I ran a shop on Dale Rd. Matlock. I still run a Derbyshire based small business.

I have experience of serving on both a Unitary Authority and Fire Authority. Within a few years we will all be living in unitary authority areas and a knowledge of how unitary authorities work would be invaluable in that transition period.

What I have learned from serving on a Unitary Authority is that all the services that district councils currently provide are constantly under threat as the Adult Social Care and Children's Services budgets grow. It is important in any merger that the functions of the District Councils are protected.

There is almost no aspect of the running of Derbyshire County Council that cannot be improved after the last 8 years of neglect. The inability to manage the budget, the state of the roads, the fire sale of assets, the lack of foresight in building and then selling a care home and, most of all, a staggering lack of support for our SEND youngsters. I promise, if elected, to work with any anyone who would help to put these problems right.

I have a particular interest in the problems of SEND children as I know, from bitter experience, the fight their parents have on a daily basis.