I have always been involved in the local community:-  I was the Chairman of the Richings Park Residents’ Association for 8 years and a governor at Iver Village Infants School.  I have retired from my career in the Civil Service and therefore have the time and commitment to be able to attend the many meetings that the role of Councillor requires.  The meetings of the new Buckinghamshire Council will often be held in Aylesbury and probably during the day so I will have the availability to be able to fully participate in the work of the new Council.

I have been the Chairman of South Bucks District Council for the past 2 years and have raised over £12k for a project with Bucks Minds which provided our infant schools in South Bucks with much needed help and support.  I have enjoyed being part of the youngsters’ community and I want to continue to try to bring a secondary school back to Iver.

I am very aware of the of the many developments that do and will surround us, particularly Heathrow expansion, M4 smart motorway, Western Rail Access to Heathrow and those that add to the HGV load on our unsuitable local roads. There may be little we can do to prevent these and they will certainly pose challenges for us on many levels, but there are also opportunities that I am determined to seize to ensure that our area is included when compensation and mitigation is being discussed so that our villages remain as vibrant communities where people want to live and work.

 I am passionate about protecting our community from the impacts that these developments will create, be it noise from aircraft, HGVs on our residential roads or the resulting air pollution and that the disruption to residents is kept to a minimum.  I have been instrumental in bring together all the various players to work in partnership to try to develop a realistic strategy for a relief road and I am proud to say that this now forms part of the recently published Local Plan.

I want to stand for election to the new unitary council because I want to be able to ensure that residents can engage with the new council and that the services and facilities it provides for our communities are the best they possibly can be and to make a difference to their lives. In other words, to get things done.  However, there will be challenges ahead to ensure that in such a large council covering the whole of Buckinghamshire that the concerns of the residents of the Ivers in the very south of the County are heard.  The proposed new community boards comprising the local unitary councillors will give me the opportunity to do just this and engage local residents and groups in the process. 

I look forward to seizing the opportunities and challenges that will come with the new council and I hope that you will allow me to stand as your candidate at the forthcoming election.

Wendy