Election: Heage and Ambergate Ward

All wording is exactly as given by the parties. We have changed nothing.

Candidates in this ward

Sarah Johnson

“I first became interested in politics after the birth of my first child when I realised I wanted better for their future, and then when I started working for the NHS in 2012 this deepened my interest.

I joined the Green Party as I believe in their stance on all topics.”

 

The Green Party only produced literature for Duffield.  The following is from that literature.

Simon Mallard

From manifesto, as we were not sent candidate information

“What do we stand for…

• The future – one where we keep our beautiful scenery, our vibrant wildlife, an unpolluted atmosphere and a stable climate.

• Young people need a decent education and the chance to use their talents. We want them to be just as free to study, live and work as other young Europeans.

• Local power to influence decisions – free from the heavy hand of the state.

• Efficient local services, using the best mixture of free enterprise and council workers to deliver what people need.

• A transparent planning system to give local people more say on where and what type of new homes are built in Amber Valley.

• Putting more resources into the Local Plan system.This means working closely with parish councils and residents to ensure locally identified needs are met. It means working proactively with developers to unlock brown field ‘land banks’ such as the ex Stevenson’s site at Bullbridge and with social housing and older people’s home providers to build appropriate housing.

• Assisting the local health trust and social services in making decisions that plan ahead for social care needs in an ageing population.This means ensuring Derbyshire Community Health Services plan for a better-resourced and locally responsive range of services to replace the ageing Babington Community Hospital in Belper and ensuring new Primary Care Centre at Heanor is likewise adequately resourced.

• Working with local people to help provide leisure facilities for the needs of all ages. This means unlocking the stalemate over future developments to improve Belper’s leisure centre, listening to teenagers about what they would like to see in Amber Valley and getting the resources to build new facilities, or support and improve existing ones like the voluntary-run Strutt Centre, Blue Box and Drop-Inn in Belper. It means working with others to create new cycle routes and provide community taxis for evening and Sundays for people without access to cars.  It means putting resources into support for local heritage organisations like Heage Windmill, the Midland Railway Trust and Belper North Mill.”

Matt Murray

The Conservative party failed to provide literature or a bio for Matt.  Below are the pledges used by the other Conservative candidates. We have been provided with no information about if or how Matt Murray’s might differ, due to standing in Heage and Ambergate.

 

Paul Lobley

Update: 29th April, Paul has provided us with his bio, we are also adding more general Amber Valley manifesto pledges due to some of the manifesto pledges below are for Belper only.

Bio
“Paul has lived in Heage for 40 years. Paul is the current Mayor of Ripley and serves on Ripley Town Council, winner of the “Best Council in Derbyshire” award, and been involved in initiatives such as the Big Day Out, the very popular Christmas weekend activities and lights and supporting Citizens Advice in Ripley. Ripley Town Council have worked with the youth of the town and provided funding towards the development of the community facility at Greenwich Park. Paul is active in his community and is currently a Director of Derbyshire Carers Association. Paul is retired but was previously an external auditor examining Local Authority finance and efficiency so is well placed to ensure the efficient running of services. He pledges to represent the wishes and views of Heage and Ambergate’s residents if elected.”

 

Manifesto
“A Labour council will be open and transparent. For instance, important planning decisions will be taken in the communities that are affected. We will green the Borough, support the economy, and protect our Greenbelt and Heritage.

Environment – We can do better by far

• Carry out air quality checks across the Borough, publicise the results and take action to tackle hotspots, especially near schools
• Fight any Fracking proposal in Amber Valley
• Reintroduce a dedicated dog warden service and introduce other steps to reduce the amount of fouling
• Reintroduce the council’s popular Environment Day and support ‘Green Events’ in the Borough
• Work with partners, such as the Woodland Trust, to promote an extensive tree planting programme in our Borough
• Review and improve the recycling and waste collection services
• Improve and promote use of play areas and leisure facilities, by ensuring developers contributions are collected and actually used.
• Promote public toilets across the Borough​

Economy – A good place to do business

• Create and support Arts, Tourism and Heritage strategies
• Work with partners to regenerate the A610 corridor with a Transport Interchange at Langley Mill, bringing jobs, new business and environmental improvements
• Support our Town Centres, carry out a review of car parking charges and introduce a ‘free parking period’ for shoppers

Crime and Community- Safer streets and caring for all

• Work with the Police to reduce anti-social behavior and reinstate wider CCTV coverage
• Reinstate public access to council services in all four towns, allowing us to support residents, especially vulnerable people
• Reinstate the Councillor Community fund to give local community groups, such as scouts; young people; the elderly and disabled groups, access to funding

Planning and housing – The right homes in the right places

• Introduce a policy to ensure that we will build Council housing
• Establish an accredited landlords scheme
• Establish 30% affordable housing as a minimum in all new developments
• Ensure Brownfield sites are given priority
• We will oppose the development of Greenbelt for housing and protect the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site and its Buffer Zone

Heritage and Landscape- Our past, our future

• Support Tourism to our Borough to help protect and celebrate our Historic Landscape and Heritage – from Pentrich’s revolutionaries to the Butterly works, to the industrial archeology of Golden Valley; from Codnor Castle to Belper Mills and the World Heritage Site. Labour will appoint a Councillor as member responsible for Heritage and Tourism
• Ensure replacement of the Belper River Gardens Swiss Tea Rooms with a building which generates income and is appropriate for a World Heritage Site and a Historic Park. Reinstate the funding for the Belper North Mill museum, securing the museum’s future by reversing the Conservative decision to withdraw all funding.”

Below are the local party manifesto pledges provided for Belper candidates.  We do not know if Paul’s would differ due to standing in Heage and Ambergate.