I am standing for election as the Alliance candidate in Park so that I can continue to work hard for residents as a local, independent councillor, free from the influence of a national political party.

Full statement

Why vote for me?

• I was part of the team that delivered a community funded playground in Calverley Grounds.

• I challenged the proposed development on the edge of Calverley Grounds for a new town hall, office block, underground car park and theatre. After several years, this project was cancelled. The development would have cost taxpayers at least £108 million, and was likely to exceed £150 million.

• I pushed for the unused space in the Town Hall to be rented out from 2017. The Town Hall is now a thriving building with many small businesses using the building alongside Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

• I worked hard to save several bus routes serving Hawkenbury and Tunbridge Wells.

• My wife and I launched and organised the annual Town Wide Yard sale since 2017.

• I have helped residents pull together to challenge rogue builders.

• Now, I challenge the spending of £68 million to redevelop part of Royal Victoria Place. The cost is likely to rise above £100 million. There are much lower cost and effective plans that could bring life back into Ely Court and the old food court in the shopping centre.

• I will push for Royal Tunbridge Wells to get a Town Council and work to ensure it gets more than the default set of assets (the allotments) in the local government restructuring.