Philip was asked to answer this question- You should vote for me in the Llantarnam Ward election because– and this is his answer.

You should vote for me in the Llantarnam Ward election because I’m free to vote in your interests (the Green party doesn’t whip). I am committed to working hard to make our area better as my singlehanded campaign all done on foot has shown. I will be a genuine voice to represent the voices of younger people on the council as somebody who is themselves only 27 and because getting a Green in the room can change everything and will provide genuine innovative ideas and hold Labour and the Ex Labour-independents to account for their empty words without the needed actions on many issues. 

About Me

Hi I’m Phil you Green Party candidate for the Llantarnam ward in the upcoming council elections on May 5th. As a 27-year-old I will add some much-needed youthful energy and a hardworking attitude to the council. This is vitally important given the average age of a councillor in Wales is almost 60 and people under 30 standing is very rare. This is not representative of our communities that the councillors are supposed to represent. The council desperately needs a Green in the room to add the innovative thinking and solutions that the other parties don’t consider. Plus, the simple fact is that Green’s simply work harder than the other parties on local issues. Aside from four years away at university studying first for an Undergraduate in Psychology and then followed by a Master’s Degree in International Politics, I have lived my entire life within the Llantarnam Ward area. I am passionate about improving my local area and making it a better place for everybody living within it. In this article I will explain my Thirteen key pledges to voters should they elect me many of which are created after talking to residents of the area about what issues they want to see changed by the Council. Thank you for taking the time to read this article. 

For a longer version of this document as well as many videos I have recorded where I can explain myself in more detail, please view my Facebook page by clicking the following link https://www.facebook.com/PhilipDaviesLlantarnamWard/

Or for the direct word document with the longer explanations of the pledges use this link https://1drv.ms/w/s!AkQJFXIph8D_lmSMvNO5ioI1c7Zs?e=PrpJYR

My Thirteen Key Pledges to Voters

• Vote Against any proposed increase to council tax given the current cost of living/inflation crisis.

At a time when people are going to be facing unprecedented household bills, rising heating costs and rising food prices it would be wrong for the council to further burden people by increasing council tax. 

• Implement technology and further education to tackle the major problem of litter in our area.

I would argue for the implementation of cameras in known problem areas particularly sections of Llantarnam road so those littering the area can be identified and fined. I would also say more bins are needed in specific locations which I and others have identified. We also need to engage in more education both via signs in known busy walking areas and via more engagement with schools.

• Tackle the problem of speeding by installing speed bumps in problem areas.

The roads in Llantarnam have safe speed limits but are often not adhered to by the public. I have talked to many residents as well as witnessing first-hand how big a problem this is in certain areas. One resident of Fields Road who has lived on it for more than 50 years stated to me how they have constantly told the council how speed bumps are needed in that area to tackle the problem of speeding in a built-up residential area where often kids can be found playing on the street. The council however has still yet to put any in this simply isn’t good I also want to argue for a speed camera to be put on Llantarnam road near the Newspaper shop due to both myself and others often seeing dangerous racing taking place late at night on this stretch of road. 

• Make the area a more accessible place to get around for people with disabilities/people that use mobility scooters.

During my time talking to residents many of those that use mobility scooters have complained to me about the ill-thought-out access due the council’s lack of drop-down ramps in certain areas. This is a big problem for them as they are reliant on the battery life so often can’t afford to go the long way around to places to find the drop-down access. The other main problem I have been told about is people parking on the pavements in certain areas this was brought up to me as a problem in an area where a blind resident lives as well as off course being a problem for people using mobility scooters.

• Argue for a massive reduction in the council’s overuse of Herbicides and Fungicides. In particular argue for the immediate cessation of the use of any Glyphosate based weed killer by the council.

Despite over a thousand local signatures the council voted to continue using glyphosate-based weedkillers claiming it was financially necessary. I can point them to how Brighton council amongst others has stopped using it and in fact saved money by using other methods instead of the overuse of harmful herbicides. Glyphosate is a known carcinogen that is already banned in many countries because of its harmfulness especially to children. 

• Make the council take the issue of Air Pollution more seriously and implement more monitoring sites.

Air pollution is one of the biggest health issues facing the UK with even at the lower end of the scientific estimates it leading to 30,000 deaths in the UK each year. As far as I can currently make out the only permanent site monitored by the council is near Croesyceiliog School this simply isn’t good enough. Every school in Torfaen should be under constant monitoring given the terrible effects air pollution can have on developing lungs. Other problem areas that were brought to my attention by residents include Victoria Street in Old Cwmbran. The councils over reliance on diffusion tubes rather than permanent sites for monitoring simple is not good enough when you are talking about an issue so detrimental to people’s health.

• Clean up our Polluted Waterways.

We are lucky to have brooks, rivers and Canal systems in Torfaen however the levels of pollution and litter in these areas is a disgrace. I often do litter picks in the area of Oakfield Brook behind the houses in Plas Ty Coch and despite this being a main walking route through the areas woods and over a main water system there is no bin in this area. This needs to be changed immediately given the council is supposed to have declared a nature emergency. Our canals also need to be cleaned up as they are currently full of litter. More signs should also be put on the canals to remind people of the damage they are doing to nature by dumping litter in the area.

• Free to vote in the interests of the people of Llantarnam and to hold Labour and ex Labour independents to account.

Unlike other parties the Green Party doesn’t whip its councillors I will therefore be free to vote for your interests. A green voice in the room has proven itself to change everything in various councils around England.

• Increase biodiversity and increase community engagement in planting bee friendly plants.

Far more areas need to be turned over for rewilding to benefit our native plant and animal species. More bee friendly plants need to be planted on council owned land and the council needs to do far more to engage with people to explain to them the massive benefits to them of planting bee friendly plants in garden areas. 

•  Vote against any future selling of green field sites to housing companies. Make sure any future houses that are built are targeted affordable social houses for local young people.

It is not necessary for the council to sell off any more green field sites, particularly given the vast majority of houses that have been built were not affordable to local people. Any new houses that are built should be prioritised affordable and green social housing that is targeted towards young people. 

•  Argue for the implementation of the Green Parties Lewes model too retrofit houses across South East Wales. This would also benefit both local companies and local people by making houses warmer and more energy efficient and thus reducing peoples heating bills.

Given the lack of action by both the UK and Welsh government on retrofitting and insulating people’s homes the Green party has implemented its own strategy via local councils. This is beneficial to local economies and Torfaen council should learn from this model to work with councils across South East Wales to implement it. To read more about the Lewes model please click this link https://greenworld.org.uk/article/lewes-model-explained

•  Promote and support our fantastic local independent businesses.

In Torfaen and more specifically the Llantarnam ward we are lucky to have so many brilliant independently run businesses that are doing brilliant work. I want to promote these further via the council so that they can further grow and hopefully more will open. It fits with the Green principle of Think Global, Act Local.

•  Represent the views of young people in the area to the council.

Councils in Wales have a major problem of not engaging with or being representative of the young people in the areas they serve. Torfaen council is no different it is vitally important with get more young people engaged with local politics and have more young people standing for council positions. As somebody in their 20’s I want to be the person to represent younger people’s views on the council. I would also like to work with local schools and colleges to engage more young people with the democratic system and what the local council can do for them. 

I thank everybody that has taken the time to read this article in full and huge thank you to Cwmbran Life for the opportunity. I hope that many of you will vote for me on May 5th to represent you and take my pledges to the council. On May 5th for a hardworking candidate Vote Philip Davies, Vote Green and Vote for a better Llantarnam.

Click here to read a full list of all the candidates standing in the Torfaen County Borough Council elections on Thursday 5 May 2022.