At the age of 20 I was elected to Derbyshire County Council in 2017, and then subsequently re-elected in 2021. Having previously been a solid Labour seat, I won the election in 2017 before quadrupling my majority in 2021. Not only do I have experience running successful campaigns I have also supported other candidates in Derbyshire by drawing on my success to advise on their campaign structure. As an active member of the campaign team, we delivered a resounding result for the Conservatives in Derbyshire in 2021, returning the largest ever Conservative majority on the Council.
I am keen to draw on this to assist both councillors and candidates nationwide through the CCA. Having held a variety of different roles at the County Council, serving as a support member for different cabinet portfolios, I understand the varying duties County Councillors can have which will be invaluable when sitting on the CCA Board. If elected to the board, I want to improve the support on offer to younger and working-age councillors and candidates. I am keen to push for better training for councillors and candidates to help with their campaigns as well as better access to grants to help with election costs. As a board member, I will be a strong advocate for putting councillors’ views forward at the CCA and facilitating more opportunities for councillors to share their ideas and experiences.
If elected:
- I will prioritise support and training for councillors, increasing their exposure to policymaking and broadening their experiences.
- I will also like for councillors to have greater involvement in decision making and I promise to consult regularly on new campaigns and initiatives to ensure Councillors are best supported in carrying out their roles and campaigns.
- Finally, I want to encourage more younger and working-age candidates to stand for election. I wish to improve the access potential candidates have to Councillors with a similar background by attending different events and promoting examples of successful younger and working-age councillors to ensure our local authorities and Conservative groups represent better represent our society.
