I wanted to get in touch to introduce myself.

Full statement

I’m Lee Evans, the County Councillor for the Kingston & Stanford division.

As you may know, there will soon be a by-election for the Stanford Ward on the District Council, brought about by the resignation of the sitting Lib Dem Councillor. The majority of the Stanford ward is in my County Council division - in fact, all of it except for Uffington and Woolstone.

When the news broke about the by-election, several people got in touch to ask whether I would put myself forward to represent them on the District Council. I promised them I would give it serious thought, but that I would only do it if the people I already represent thought it was a good idea. So I wrote to my residents and asked them what they thought.

I was very moved by how many people replied and that 97% of them said I should stand in the election. I was particularly touched to hear from people who had never voted for my party before, but recognised that I don’t make being a Councillor about party politics, but about working hard and getting things done for our area.

However, I appreciate that I have not represented either Uffington or Woolstone before and that you don’t know me as well as my current residents do. I know that I have a lot to do to prove myself to you and to win your trust.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll be knocking on doors in Uffington and Woolstone to listen to your views and find out how I could best serve you on the Council. I’ll also be sharing more about my record as a County Councillor - and my plan to be a strong voice for our area on the District Council.

I’ve only been a County Councillor since May. In that time, I’ve committed myself to working hard and getting things done for the local area, including:

Getting the A417 by Stanford Mill and the Shellingford crossroads into the Council’s plans for resurfacing. I spoke about the state of the A417 at the first opportunity in Full Council, brought Council officers to our area to inspect the road for themselves, and kept on fighting until the Council agreed to resurface the road.
Reporting potholes, blocked drains and damaged pavements directly to the Council. I went through the training to be a FixMyStreet ‘super user’ so I could get things done for the area. I’ve been going out and reporting issues - and staying on the case until the job is done.
Speaking up for our area in the Council chamber. I have a 100% attendance record as a Councillor and never miss the chance to speak up for the area and its residents. For example, when the Lib Dems (who run the Council) scrapped the dedicated Cabinet Member for Special Educational Needs & Disabilities, I took a stand against it.
Opposing policies that make life harder. When the County Council announced unnecessary new rules for using the tip, I challenged them. I asked about the risk of more fly-tipping, of Oxfordshire residents being charged, and queues forming because of new paperwork checks. I am still fighting this unnecessary policy.

Since being elected as a County Councillor, many people have approached me about District Council issues. As I’m not currently on the District Council, it’s been frustrating that I haven’t been able to do more to help. But I’ve jotted down the issues people raised with me and they will be my priorities if you elect me onto the District Council.

My priorities for the District Council includes:

Protecting the countryside - by opposing inappropriate development, especially when it doesn’t come with the investment in transport and facilities our villages need.
Tidying up public spaces - I want to see a renewed focus on cleaning up public spaces and tackling fly-tipping.
Fixing our roads - although roads are a County Council matter, some of the District Council’s work is relevant (like planning). I’ll use my voice on the District Council to continue my fight to fix our roads.
Preserving fortnightly black bin collection - which is at risk because of the Lib Dems’ plan to merge our Council with West Berkshire, where it is now every three weeks. If I’m your Councillor, I would oppose these changes.

I hope this letter has been of interest and has let you know a little bit about me, my record, and my plans if I am elected in this by-election. I look forward to meeting you soon and if there is anything I can do to help in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.