INDEPENDENT candidate Amanda Bowles has outlined the lessons she has learned from five weeks of campaigning during her Latchford West election campaign.
She says that while being an Independent its been a lot of work she has fortunately had some “lovely local helpers”.
Amanda said: “I’ve really enjoyed meeting lots of people and different groups, and listening to their thoughts about the community, and our town. People may say they are fed up of party politics, but they are certainly not fed up of talking about how their neighbourhoods could be improved. They want someone to listen to them, and act on their concerns. You can learn a lot from listening to people!
“The Westy LTN is a big issue for people obviously, but I was surprised to see it come up in discussions over on the opposite side of Latchford, round the Gainsborough area. People are seeing the impact on residents and businesses, and they’re worried about increased congestion and air pollution.
Swing bridges has also been a topic for some time but people are seeing the breakdown rates increasing. It’s an issue that continues to be knocked into the long grass. We need to get a grip on it because it’s got the potential to cause traffic mayhem. Turning right onto Chester Road from Gainsborough is quite dangerous now, this is a major frustration and has been raised by residents for some time.”
She added: “There is a general unease at the number of houses and flats being built. People accept that we need decent affordable housing, but at the same time, they can see the impact that development has on an already congested road infrastructure, and services struggling to cope.
“The level of council debt, and investment out of town, worries people – mainly because they can’t see any benefit coming back to the town from it.
“Mostly though, people are thinking about their local community. They would like more community spaces for events and activities. There are many people in Latchford helping their community, and often working with the Council too – litter networks for example are a big collaborative success story. But there is more that could be done to support the community groups that are doing such a great job. Storage for example – is a big expense for some groups.
“Roads and pavements are a big issue. People can see that the council does fix potholes, but the problem is they quickly become potholes again. They just can’t see an end to it. The pavement problems are particularly a worry for older residents.”
“Victoria Park has had a lot of money spent on it over recent years – but the local community doesn’t really see the full benefit. Teams and groups are priced out of using the state-of-the-art facilities there, so we have a stadium that stands empty much of the time. We also need to get the kids changing rooms renovated, they’re not fit for purpose, especially with girls playing rugby these days too, they need their own changing space. There was a levelling-up bid made to the Government, but this didn’t come through in the end. St Werburghs could also do with a refresh to make it more versatile for different activities.
“And the Pavilion on Vicky Park… so many people have said they want to see this in use, as a café, meeting room, craft space, training room, maybe with decent toilets, storage, and seating areas. With so much community support for this, it’s hard to see why nothing has happened to it.
Amanda concluded: “It’s been great listening to Latchford West! Many residents have felt unheard, and I hope to stand up and represent them and be their voice in council!”
The election takes place, tomorrow, Thursday, April 20.
