Matt Bradney's Track Record in Local Government

Matt Bradney's Track Record In Local Government

As many of you will know I was a County Councillor before. I represented Cottenham and Histon until 2009. I used to live in Chesterton but needed a larger house so had to move out of the City. I now live in Cottenham and work in central Cambridge, as I have done since 1999.

When I was a County Councillor before I became the youngest ever Cabinet member. My portfolio was called Growth and Infrastructure, but really it was about housing growth and transport, of many different types. I took over a lot of projects that were already under way, like the Guided Bus and the Transport Innovation Bid (or congestion charging).

Leading on the Guided Bus was not easy at all, but I do still think once it is finished it will be well used. I know it has an awfully long way to go to prove to people that it is a benefit, but I think it will get there in the end. The delays caused by the contractor are unforgivable and have caused a lot of issues that the project really didn't need. All of that will be played out in the courts, however, the most important thing is to get the Busway open and giving benefit to the people waiting to use it.

As for Congestion Charging - it was an exceptionally difficult task leading on this project as I fundamentally did not agree with congestion charging. Of course this was a Labour scheme and did basically amount to nothing but bribery. However, I was willing to play the long game. I wanted the bid to stay alive until everyone else had dropped out. In the meantime I met with Ministers and Civil Servants to talk about the unique challenges and opportunities in Cambridge. I felt as though I was getting somewhere, and I firmly believe that thanks to the work undertaken during that period Cambridge will be at the head of the queue when money becomes available. It is worth pointing out that the Lib Dems were and are pro congestion charging for Cambridge. I was attacked for trying to get the Government to change the rules http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Cambridge/Tories-rapped-after-road-toll-statement.htm , I stand by us needing to get the investment. It was only a crying shame for Cambridge that the Labour Government decided to throw the baby out with the bath water.

I was very proud to serve Cambridgeshire, and was proud to succeed in helping Cambridge achieve Cycle Demonstration status, with the Government. The status itself didn't mean too much, but the millions of pounds that came with it did. A lot of that work has been completed or is being completed right now. I am proud to have made a bit of a difference to cyclists lives and help Cambridge move around that bit safer.

Housing growth was one of my responsibilities. I was at the forefront of the Hanley Grange resistance and the proposed increase in housing numbers being demanded by the then Government. I agree that Cambridge and Cambridgeshire must grow, but it has to be local people making those decisions and letting the growth happen in a home grown fashion is imperative. I was delighted to see the back of the Regional Spatial Strategy and Regional Government. Any changes round here should be made and shaped by local people, not faceless Civil Servants.

Buses formed a large part of my responsibility, and I was very used to working with Stagecoach to try and improve services. I opened the park and ride at Milton, which has proved to be a huge success, in reducing traffic coming into the City.

Perhaps my proudest area was on road safety. When I became the lead member for Transport I took over just after a period of tragedy and carnage on one particular road, the A1307 to Haverhill. This road had claimed the lives of far too many people and something had to be done. With the help of Council officers and the Police we were able to put together a road safety campaign, that has worked. Thankfully we seem to have made that road much safer, and elsewhere in the County traffic accidents continued to decrease while I held the post.

During my time as a County Councillor I believe my track record was very good. My attendance was exceptionally high and I feel I showed I can work with anyone. My portfolio was the largest on the Cabinet and I think I undertook that role with the utmost responsibility and respect, and I would like to give those skills, that effort and experience to East Chesterton. East Chesterton deserves someone who has got experience and knows how to get things done.

So if you would like a hard working local representative, one that can actually make a difference, and one with a voice that will be listened to, then please vote for me on the 16th.

Thanks

Matt