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Candidate Profiles: David Grant, Greenwich West

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Name: David Grant (Labour)
Ward: Greenwich West

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

I am retired from work, formerly as a teacher, including in Greenwich, and as one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Schools. I have lived in Greenwich West Ward for 15 years, and represented the ward on the Council for 8 years. I have served variously as cabinet member for education and social services.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

Most people are not fabulously wealthy and therefore to improve our lives and those of our families and friends we need to work together. This is why I am a member of the Labour Party. Local councils enable us to look after our interests collectively. Many of the decisions that affect us most are made at this level, therefore if we do not vote we lose the ability to influence these decisions.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

I enjoy the work: I like being able to respond to people when they need their councillor’s help, and I like discussing ideas in the Council chamber. I have some useful experience and skills and feel I can use them for the benefit of my local community.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

I love Greenwich. My wife and I met here when we were young, and we both wanted to return when we had the chance. I love the Park and the wonderful buildings, the views and the river. One of the particular things I love most in Greenwich is the theatre, which needs and deserves all our support.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Peninsula ward over the next four years?

My priorities would be: i) to ensure the Olympic Games in the Park is an enjoyable experience for residents and that the Park is not damaged; ii) to make sure that new developments are done to the highest possible standard and are supported by adequate infra-structure; iii) to preserve and maintain important areas such as the covered market and Greenwich Theatre; iv) to improve the council housing stock locally; and v) to safeguard our two Sure Start children’s centres and ensure our schools improve steadily.

Candidate Profiles: Miranda Williams, Peninsula

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Name: Miranda Williams (Labour)
Ward: Peninsula

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

I’m 27 and have lived in the Borough for 4 years, as well as being an active member of our community I am also a school Governor at Fossdene Primary School, Charlton.

After graduating from university I worked for the Department of Work and Pensions in a JobCentre Plus before moving to work in London as a Caseworker for a Member of Parliament.

In my spare time I enjoy reading and knitting as well as following Forest Green Rovers from a distance.

I have been a member of the Labour Party for 11 years.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

It matters that all people eligible to take part in any election vote. Voting is the only way that you can choose your representatives who make important decisions about your community.

Politics effects everyone in all parts of our lives so if you value the things that are part of our daily lives such as our clean streets, good local schools and our recycling scheme then you need to take part our democratic system and vote to elect your local representatives.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

Having worked in Parliament for the last four I have seen how effective hard working elected representatives can be. I also believe that working together as a community produces results far beyond what can be achieved when we work alone.

I believe I have the energy combined with the skills necessary to work with our community to promote the interests of Peninsula residents and to continue to work to make our community an excellent place to live.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

There is very little that I don’t love about the area! Greenwich Park, along with the Pleasaunce in East Greenwich as well as the O2 I would say are my top 3 favourite ‘things’. But on top of that I love the diversity of our Borough and the feel of the area on Marathon Day.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Peninsula ward over the next four years?

To ensure that the Olympics in 2012 is an enjoyable and positive experience for all our residents as well as the many expected visitors.

I will work hard to ensure that new housing developments always have a balanced mix of homes offered at social rents, opportunities for shared ownership as well as those for sale at full price. I want to make sure that people growing up in this area have the best chance of living here for the next generation.
To be an approachable and effective Ward Councillor for all the residents of Peninsula.

Candidate Profiles: Mary Mills, Peninsula

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Name: Mary Mills (Labour)
Ward: Peninsula

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

I am an elderly widow who has lived in Greenwich for the past 41 years. My working life was mainly spent in the voluntary sector, including a stint at North Charlton Project, but latterly working on a community response to Docklands redevelopment, eventually concentrating on issues around the environment. I have a PhD in industrial history and am Secretary of Greenwich Industrial History Society – and because of this have written a number of books on the subject, concentrating on east Greenwich, the Peninsula and the riverside walk.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

Of course it matters that people vote – we should be all about a participative democracy. It also matters that people speak up for what they want for the area they live in and I have always done what I can to encourage people to get in touch and to pass on what they say where I can.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

I hope I can make a difference to people’s lives in east Greenwich, North Charlton and the Peninsula. There is so much to do and so many things which are difficult. For many people it is hard to live in an area where there is so much change (although for others it is exciting). We need to understand those stresses and respond to them sympathetically and constructively and I do feel I have some very special experience of this. I also feel that in the ten years I have been on the Council I have learnt a great deal of how to tackle the many everyday problems which people have, and hopefully tackle them effectively and realistically. I very much feel that it is my duty to talk to as many local people as I can to learn what they want from their councillors, and I would encourage them to get involved. I am very used to handling email, and twitters and stuff like that – and hope to be able to use it to interact more and more local people. Over the past ten years I have developed a newsletter about local people and local events which goes out monthly – so I have always been happy to hear if people are doing things they want others to hear about, and to add addresses to the list of those who want to get it.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

What do I like most about the area. Where do I start? When I moved to Greenwich in the 1960s I was knocked out that I was finally in an area with Labour councillors, a Labour MP and a Labour GLC member. I am still very proud of that. However I had come from Gravesend and both there, and here in Greenwich, we have the river – and that is a wonderful thing threading through all our lives. But now – oh how I miss the sound of the boats all day! – and the great cacaphony at New Year. But I am very proud of east Greenwich – it IS the centre of the world, its an exciting place to be and I am grateful every day that I live here.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Peninsula ward over the next four years?

Where do I start with that? I suppose I want the people who live here to be happy to live here and to have good and fulfilled lives. I suppose that also I want to work towards a cleaner, greener, totally sustainable environment. That’s the long term. In the short term its sorting out all those 100s of day to day problems which hopefully are building blocks towards the long term. Or at least I hope so.

Candidate Profiles: Matthew Pennycook, Greenwich West

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Name: Matthew Pennycook (Labour)
Ward: Greenwich West

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

I live in Tarves Way on the Rubicon development where I have helped set up a thriving Residents Association and I am a Governor at James Wolfe Primary school. My background is in the third sector where I have worked on campaigns and policy with organisations such as Child Poverty Action Group as well as heading national campaigns for the Fair Pay Network – a national coalition of fourteen anti-poverty organisations committed to taking action to highlight and tackle working poverty in Britain. I am also a Greenwich organiser for Hope not Hate, the national campaign working to expose the extremism behind the British National Party, and I’ve been campaigning over the last year across the Borough to make sure we don’t see a BNP councillor elected on May 6th. In my spare time I enjoy running, reading and practicing my Chinese (mandarin) which I have studied for the past five years.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

Most of the decisions that effect people on a day-to-day basis take place at a local level so council elections are just as important as general elections. Politics affects everyone and involvement in the political process is essential to meeting the common challenges we face as a community. Democracies exist only by virtue of the engagement of their citizens. So if you value the safety of your home and family, the cleanliness of the streets around your home, or the quality of services and life in your local area then you need to vote for it and elect representatives who know and live in the ward with you and who have the experience and ability to understand your concerns and champion your interests.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

Faith in politics may be at an all time low but I still believe in the power of people working together to improve their lives. I am standing to be a councillor because I have seen both professionally and in the voluntary work I do what can be achieved if committed individuals work together toward common goals. I believe I have the energy and the skills needed to advance the interests of Greenwich West residents and to continue to build on the progress made in our area over the last few years.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

I love many things about Greenwich but our Royal Park stands out as my favourite thing in Greenwich West. It is an immense privilege to live so close to such a beautiful piece of parkland which is used and valued by so many residents.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Peninsula ward over the next four years?

If elected I will work hard to build a fairer, safer and greener Greenwich West. My priorities would be:
• To safeguard our two Sure Start Children’s centres and to ensure our local schools improve faster.
• To ensure that the Olympic events in Greenwich Park are an enjoyable experience for residents and that the Park is returned in the same or better condition as it is in now.
• I believe in decent, affordable local homes so I will work hard to ensure that we build upon the work of the Decent Homes Programme locally and continue to improve our social housing stock.
• To preserve and maintain important local landmarks including Greenwich Market.

Candidate Profiles: Maureen O’Mara, Greenwich West

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Name: Maureen O’Mara (Labour)
Ward: Greenwich West

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

Lived in the borough for thirty years and have worked in both the public and private sector. Have lived in Greenwich West ward for nearly seventeen years.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

It matters that people vote in all elections -local and national. Politics is about the house or flat that you live in, it is about how clean your street is, it is about whether you can get a job or not, it is about the quality of your children’s education and it is about the quality of care that your or you family and friends get from the NHS. Everyone cares about these things – we just group them together under the heading of “politics”. If you choose not to vote then you are letting other people make decisions about your life.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

I have been a Labour councillor for Greenwich West for nearly twelve years and believe I have been able to get things done for local people and across the borough as a whole and want to keep doing that.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

There are many things that I love about West Greenwich – its strong sense of community for one and I also love its history. I am very proud that we are host to one of London’s four World Heritage sites which attracts now over seven million visitors a year.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Greenwich West ward over the next four years?

My priorities for the next four years would be to make sure that the needs of all our communities are met. We have just started to build council housing again in the borough – the first London borough to do so for some time. We need to make sure that we have the infrastructure to support our new developments and we need constantly to ensure that we maintain our improvements in the public realm – cleaner streets and cleaner estates. Clearly the 2012 Olympics will present real challenges for us and we need to make sure we are ready for those.

Candidate Profiles: Dick Quibell, Peninsula

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Name: Dick Quibell (Labour)
Ward: Peninsula

Please can you tell Greenwich.co.uk readers a little about yourself.

I have lived at my current address in Peninsula Ward for 19 years, and in the Borough for almost thirty years; I have a son and daughter who both attended local state schools. I am a maths graduate with a twenty five year career helping organisations use information effectively to optimise their operations. I have been a Labour Party member for almost forty years.

Why does it matter that people vote in council elections?

Obviously it is important that you have confidence in – and have chosen – the people who spend so much of the public’s money. The environment, local economy, public safety and local services are all influenced hugely by the elected Council members, it matters that people choose representatives that will use that influence on their behalf. They also need advocates to take up issues for them – like getting a fair deal over a school for their child, or ridding their neighbourhood of crime, noise, pollution etc. Choosing the people to do this job for you is really an important part of getting a fair deal. Voting is the only way you can make these choices.

Why are you standing to be a councillor?

Firstly I believe I am effective at being the representative and advocate I described in the previous answer – and that my record in this regard is good. This borough has serious problems that need to be addressed. A lot of our people are relatively poor, have not enjoyed their fair share of the comforts and benefits that a 21st century affluent society offers. I think I can make a significant contribution to redressing this, and to ensure that everyone – but especially the least privileged – have someone to speak up for them. I believe in Local Government being a strong element of our social fabric, helping to shape and change lives for the better, and being effective and well run. I want to be part of making that happen.

What do you like most about the area you wish to represent?

Rather spoilt for choice – an urban park to rival any in the world on its boundary, the Dome with the best concert venue on the planet, being the centre of time and space (0° longitude), and one of the most vibrant and socially diverse communities in London.

If elected, what would be your priorities for the Peninsula ward over the next four years?

i) Making sure that the Olympics in 2012 go fantastically well and that as many people as possible enjoy them hugely;
ii) Getting the school opened on the Peninsula, and drawing more of the Borough’s children into our own secondary schools
iii) Helping neighbourhoods be rid of the scourge of excessive traffic – especially on the minor residential streets
iv) Extending social ownership of the organisations that run things for us – including many of the Council’s own services.