I’m Elizabeth McWilliams and I’m standing to be your County Councillor in the Castle Division.

Full statement

I have worked in the area – and therefore driven, cycled and walked here – for over 8 years. I’m employed as the Alumni and Events Officer at a Cambridge College where I was also a student. It’s a people-focused job around bringing a community together, delivering results to a deadline, and teamwork. I’m currently a parish council Chair because I cannot imagine being other than a community activist.

I always say I won’t take ‘no’ for an answer! I secured repairs for council tenants outside the City after the Lib Dem-led Council had repeatedly turned them down over the course of years based on a technical argument that served no one. I successfully pushed that Council to sign up to the White Ribbon campaign (engaging men and boys to end violence against women and girls) after an initial refusal. And as workplace staff rep, I won sick pay for probationary staff. I am driven to want to solve problems and fight injustice. As your County Councillor, I’ll stand up for you when things aren’t working as they should. I enjoy forming positive relationships with people in order to get the best results.

I’ve already spoken to lots of residents on the doorstep and I’m proud to be working already with my Labour Councillor colleagues on Local Highways Improvement bids to tackle the problems that residents are raising with me. The issues residents tell me about form the basis of my priorities for Castle:

Fixing Potholes makes driving, cycling and walking safer:
Labour will fix 100,000 Cambs potholes to reduce costly damage to vehicles, cycle accidents and spiralling car insurance premiums.

Better buses for people, not profit:
I’ll make sure the proposed orbital bus route will provide residents with direct routes to the Addenbrookes and the Science Park.

Cutting accidents on Huntingdon Road:
I’ve championed a bid to install new traffic activated electronic speed signs both sides of the Oxford Road Tiger crossing.

Addressing flooding on Mount Pleasant:
Both sides of this main route are frequently flooded. I’m supporting a bid to identify and implement a drainage solution.

School Streets for a safer Mayfield School run:
This initiative could make Oxford and Windsor Roads safer for parents and children cycling and walking to school. I’ll start a community conversation.

I know the delay to the new school at Darwin Green is causing problems for residents whose children have to travel too far, and I’ll push for this to open as soon as possible. I know there are issues with the 5 and 6 bus services arriving close together with a long gap until the next one, and with the fantastic news about franchising now given the go ahead by the Combined Authority, I’ll work closely with the Labour Mayor to ensure better frequency and routes to serve Castle residents.

I hope to have your support so I can add to Labour’s strong record of action here, by taking your concerns to the Council, and working with officers and other councillors to make Castle even better!