Havant Borough is Maria’s adopted home – She and her husband have lived here for almost 40 years.

Full statement

Her children thrived at fantastic schools in the borough and she has taught many children locally having taught for more than 20 years at South Downs College.

Recently retired, Maria now wants to continue to be a part of the community. She believes the Conservatives have taken Havant for granted for too long, and when she was teaching, she saw the impact of decisions by the local and national Conservatives first hand.

Like many local residents, Maria is angry about how Southern Water has allowed to ruin our beautiful coastline and has pumped so much sewage into the area that both Langstone and Chichester Harbours are now unsafe for swimmers and surfers. Now even our drinking water is at risk.

As your local councillor Maria will hold the local Tories, including our MP, to account on this.

Maria has joined with local residents to ensure our voices are heard about how Southern Water is ruining our area and threatening the environment. If elected, Maria will continue to do this as your local councillor.

We need a strong voice locally, not just another Tory who will say “yes”. Our local services have been cut to the bone and development is happening in the wrong place, without enough affordable homes for local families, without quality roads, Doctors’ surgeries and schools we need to support it.

Maria will fight for you. To make sure the roads are properly looked after and that our council tax is being used on the right things, to help keep St Faiths a special place to live.