ELECTION 2015: Bognor Regis and Littlehampton - Simon McDougall (Green Party)

My daughter currently attends The Regis school, as did my adult son before her and I am a member of the parent council.

I have been a local councillor for 24 years representing Bersted and have served as Bersted Parish Council chairman, leader of the Bognor Regis Town Council and leader of the opposition at Arun District Council.

I was the Liberal Democrat candidate in 2005/10 and indeed I polled over 11,000 votes last time round.

I did not support the coalition from the start and was left fuming after broken promises on VAT and tuition fees.

I continued to serve the party locally until last May, having lost total faith in Clegg’s leadership and becoming totally aghast at the leadership of the Lib Dems locally lacking coherence, vision, and being opportunist and totally wed to negative politics.

I am still the person I always was, fighting for the same values, policies, and ethics and defending local residents and voicing their concerns at every opportunity.

The Lib Dems left me in terms of their shifting policies as they have so many others but in the Green party I have found them to not just share my views and beliefs but be compassionate, caring and like me driven by a moral compass.

The Green Party approach is different and anti-austerity. I believe the following policies can change life for the better:

:: The Green Party’s economic policies will improve people’s lives

:: The NHS should remain in public hands

:: Living wage will raise people’s living standards

:: Citizen’s Income will simplify the welfare system

:: The railways should be renationalised

:: Education at any level should be free to all

:: There should be a referendum on Europe – our party’s policy

:: Campaign for renewable energy

:: Support measures to combat climate change

Our town deserves better and that’s why I applaud the many community groups who have come up with excellent ideas for the Regis Centre site and Hothampton car park.

I have long held the belief that regeneration should be led by the town and its residents and that’s why I support a referendum to identify which scheme gains the approval of Bognor Regis people.

Finally, unlike Nick Gibb, I will pick up the cudgels for local people and take the fight back to Arun.