Election Statement by
Liberal Democrat Party Candidate for
Ashford Borough Council, Victoria Ward
The choice for people in Victoria ward on Thursday 2nd May is between the local Lib Dem campaigner Charlotte Mbali or the Conservatives.
Many people are fed up with the Conservatives. Nationally, the Government has made a complete mess of Brexit. At County Hall, the Tory-run County
Council is charging more Council Tax for fewer services. Locally, Conservatives running Ashford Borough Council are allowing more and more development without adequate infrastructure.
Charlotte Mbali said, “I am delighted to be the Lib Dem candidate in Victoria. I am passionate about our area and I would be privileged to serve the community as a Councillor. Now more than ever Victoria needs a strong voice on the Council and someone who will get things done for local people
The Lib Dem plan for Ashford
- The Council has already taken up my proposal to run a garden competition this year: Ashford-in-bloom, which will please those in the ward with nice front gardens and baskets (and my married name MBALI means a flower in Zulu !)
- Lib Dems promote practial policies to combat climate change by a mix of public money and individual responsibility. Householders are urged to take up the KCC grants to better insulate their houses, thus lowering their energy bills and planet-warming gases
- Influx of new residents into new builds sometimes overwhelms services such as schools, GP surgeries and A. and E at the hospital. Lib Dems would ensure that the levy on developers is spent locally on the wards most affected rather than borough wide, as now under the Conservatives
- People of Ashford need to be equipped for the job changes that will come with more AI, and digitalized creative industries. More adults should be able to access Makerspaces (funded by the Council) to learn coding, or film editing or music mixing.
- For older people, Lib Dems argue for increased public moey for better integration of the nhs and local care system. I would add that transport needs to be added to the joined-up planning, whether this is hospital parking, buses to clinics like Eureka, or ambulance times to proposed new A and E locations.
- Ashford needs more female councillors (currently there are 9 woman councillors to 35 men). As a mature female candidate, I can offer lots of dedicated time ( I’m retired) and experience in diverse civic intitiatves (both in UK and S. Africa). My working career in adult teaching and in Universities gives me the skills to digest texts quickly and voice proposals confidently. Long ago, KCC paid a grant for my Oxford degree: I’d now like to give something back to my home county and Victoria Ward where I live.