Dear voter, On Thursday 6th May, you will be able to choose who should represent you on Oxford City Council.

Full statement

I have lived in this ward for the last nine years, in Owens Way, and work full-time as a science video producer and website manager.

Here's why I would like you to consider giving me your vote:

• I want cleaner air and safer streets – I fully support the new Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes and will campaign for a cycle route into the city along the Oxford/Cowley road to make the journey in and out of town better for cyclists and drivers. I also want this road to have a 20mph speed limit to make it more pleasant for the people who live along it.
• I want to see more wildlife – for example, Cowley Marsh Park can be mown less for more flowers across the park. If we want to make it better to walk and cycle we need to give people shade from trees against the summer sun as they travel so we need to plant more roadside trees.
• I want to focus on improving conditions for people who rent by increasing the resources for city inspections, helping to make sure people’s homes are fit to live in. When we first came to Oxford we were appalled by the quality of some of the places we were offered as we looked for a home to rent. I’m now fortunate now to be in a housing association flat. I’ll support anything that increases the amount of social housing in our city to give others a similar secure home.
• Bringing all this together, I want us to ‘build back better’ through a Green New Deal in Oxford – rolling out home insulation, better routes for walking and cycling, and affordable public transport.
• If elected, I will work part-time, and dedicate the rest of my time to my work as a city councillor. I will be a strong, independently-minded voice standing up for Temple Cowley. You can rely on me to work hard and to respond to your concerns.
The Green Party can win here: we have had Greens on Oxford City Council for over 25 years now, and it is through Green Party pressure that we have managed to achieve many of the environmental improvements we have seen in the city. You can find out more about what the Green Party is proposing for Oxford in our manifesto, which can be found at www.greenoxford.com.

I hope to meet many of you around the ward during this campaign and I look forward to answering any questions you may have. You can contact me on riscrase@yahoo.co.uk.

With best wishes,

Richard Scrase