Hello I am the Independent Candidate at the upcoming election in the West Ward. My name is Sarah Clough I am a 33-year-old mum of two small children.
Previously from Darlington I have lived in the West Ward of Newton Aycliffe for six years. Currently I am studying Social Work with the aim of becoming a social worker.
I am driven to be a Great Aycliffe Town Councillor because I feel strongly about the welfare of my community and would love to make a positive difference.
Crime in my area seems to be centred around the local convenience store which keeps late hours and seems to attract an anti-social element, recently readers of your newspaper will have learned of a serious assault upon a WPC outside of the premises and only last weekend an attempt was made to rob the shop by a masked hammer wielding thug.
I don’t want to give the impression that our area is beset by criminal elements but the shop is not very well illuminated outside and is situated in a dark area adjacent to the Boating Lakes.
As a young mum my focus will be upon the needs of young children and facilities for them to play and grow in a safe and harmonious area. As a student studying social work I have also come to the conclusion that we are in danger of becoming very insular in our treatment of the elderly, many of whom rarely see a friendly face during the day and endure long lonely evenings with only the TV for company.
Government cuts are seeing reductions in spending which appears to be affecting grass cutting and services which the elderly and less able have come to expect such as hedge trimming.
At County level we see protests from Teaching assistants who are to be sacked then reemployed on lower salaries, DLI Museum honouring our war heroes closed and exhibits hidden away in a Spennymoor Warehouse whilst our councillors spend money on a magazine which never mentions Newton Aycliffe and the Lumiere light show.
It is my belief that people have become weary of decisions taken in meetings of the Labour Party prior to council meetings by faceless people being forced through by a majority Labour group.
As a mum I am aghast that a working teacher of children has the time to read council papers and attend council meetings whilst at the same time teaching young people.
Should I be elected my promise is to represent my ward to the best of my ability.
Sarah Clough
INDEPENDENT Candidate.