Cllr Jenny Johnson is the Conservative candidate for Wirral West and a councillor in Wirral.
As a local Councillor for five years in Wirral, I have experienced the vagaries of local politics! We sit in a largely politically polarised region of Merseyside. Liverpool City Region is Labour controlled, our 4 (ex) MPs are Labour and we sit in a Labour-led Council. This Labour control has enabled me to observe at close quarters how Labour operate and why we need Conservatives to counter-balance their control. Obviously, we ultimately need Conservatives in power! I have identified below some of the key aspects of how being a local Councillor will enable me to become a strong MP.
Central government provides money to local authorities in good faith, trusting that this will be spent wisely and effectively. As Chair of Audit and Risk, I have been able to scrutinise some of this spend. Recently, I was able to question representatives from the Environment Agency about procurement, relating to a sea wall being built in West Kirby. The cost has been about £20 million. The scheme over-ran and was costly to local businesses in terms of reduced footfall. Subsequent to this meeting, the wall did not, unfortunately, prevent flooding in our area. Instead, there was water overflow and the RNLI are unable to launch during emergencies when the flood gates are closed. We therefore need further scrutiny of this project.
Much as these issues are challenging and multi-faceted, it is very important that we, as councillors, hold local authorities to account. This is very useful preparation for government.
In Wirral Council, we have a committee system. This means that we all get involved in decision-making. I have to work cross-party to decide upon the best decisions for our communities. I am a firm believer in cooperative politics, where all elected representatives are listened to. Working with different parties and varying views is important. This will stand me in good stead for national politics.
Invariably, Conservative councillors are concerned about the financial implications of decision-making. All too often, we are proved right. One example would be the ‘sail loft’ café in West Kirby. This has an iconic view of Hilbre Island and was built by Wirral Council. From the start, I suggested that a local restaurant entrepreneur could run the business, rather than having Council provision. However, my views were not acted upon. Instead, Council catering tried to run the facility and it failed. Losses were incurred rather than a profit. These losses were exacerbated by the over-run of the sea wall construction which caused local disruption and a lack of parking. The Sail Loft is currently closed, awaiting a local entrepreneur to pay for the lease and run it. I do feel vindicated, but also sad. If Conservatives had had the balance of power, this would not have happened. We now have a vacant building and, even worse, there is scaffolding as building repairs occur.
Making decisions is difficult. This is an example of how I would make a difference.
As a councillor, I have developed a large network of amazing residents who contribute to our locality. It has been an immense privilege to learn about the contributions that our community volunteer groups provide to our area. This includes ‘in bloom’ organisations who plant beautiful floral displays; guides/scouts/sea scout volunteers who enable our young people to develop their skills and characters; park groups who help our green spaces to be used effectively and community halls where local activities are in abundance. This has honestly been one of the most gratifying parts of being a Councillor. Personally, I am proud to be President of Newton Village Hall, and to be a co-opted member of the Ashton Park committee. I volunteered at the local fair in the park and had a truly fabulous day. I also volunteered in Woodchurch and got involved in their community enhancement day – I genuinely enjoyed litter picking, for the benefit of local residents.
This enables me to relate to local communities and understand their concerns.
I am not a special advisor. I do not hold PPE from Oxbridge.
Instead, I live in my constituency. I have been a councillor for five years. I am an academic who weighs up different viewpoints to form an opinion. I have a PhD which I gained whilst bringing up three amazing children – I am immensely proud that all three are pursuing their individual dreams; one works in the NHS in mental health, one in corporate banking and one is a vet. And I have been married to the same man for over 30 years… No mean feat.
Does our political system welcome people, like me? Let’s hope so. Our political system needs to embrace difference. It’s time for change.
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Author: Jenny Johnson
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