I'm not siting here idle, I'm constantly in the ward supporting our community both proactively and actively.

Full statement

People I've spoken with over the past year have made it clear, it's time for a change.

I am working with the police to stamp out antisocial behaviour. I am working on community projects to bring life to some areas of the ward. As far as I am concerned, Shrub End is the best ward in the city, and I'm passionate about helping it stand out.

For me though, this goes further than the ward boundary. Colchester needs support, it needs vision, it needs ambition. For too long we've been told what we can't do, I'm seeking to change that. Why can't we do things, what's stopping us? Colchester needs someone to challenge the normal, and I am that person.

Coming back to Shrub End though, I will consult with residents on all matters, to make sure that our ward has a loud and prominent voice. I will continue to fight for developments that have sat behind metal fences for too long and push for them to be finished by developers. I will secure our green spaces and in some cases diversify them to encourage wildlife back. I will advocate for the prosperity of our archaeological sites in Gosbecks. But most importantly, I will stand by each and every one of the residents in our Shrub End community, because that's what we need.