Vote 2015: See who's standing as a parliamentary candidate for Poole

Robert Syms, Conservative

Conservative candidate Robert Syms was first elected MP for Poole in 1997. He previously served as a councillor in Wiltshire and contested the Parliamentary seat of Walsall North. He has two children.

Twitter: @syms4poole

Website: pooleconservatives.org

Email: symsr@pooleconservatives.org

Tel: 01202 739922

Philip Eades, Liberal Democrat

Philip Eades is a former publican, accountant, politician, cricketer, pool player and quizzer. He has lived in Poole for 30 years, has two teenage children and has represented Branksome West since 2003. He has been elected councillor three times and has also served as Mayor of Poole in 2013/2014.

Twitter: @phil4poole

Email: p.eades@poole.gov.uk

Facebook: facebook.com/philip.eades.1

He answered the Echo's seven questions as follows: 

Why did you decide to stand in this election?

I love Poole and given my strong electoral performance in 2010 (+3,500 votes to 15,000 and a solid second place) and my profile in Poole I believe I am best placed to unseat the Tory MP and represent the people of Poole.

What do you believe the key issues of this election to be?

The chance for residents of Poole to elect a strong, genuinely local voice with a proven record of standing up for local people. The provision of affordable housing in Poole, the attraction and retention of employment and the protection of our wonderful natural environment.

Where do you stand on renewable energy, fracking and climate change?

I am fully in favour of renewable energy. This country cannot go on importing its energy requirements from country’s such as Qatar and Russia. We live in the windiest country in Europe surrounded by tidal waters. I believe fracking to be dangerous, unproven technology – much more research needs to be done before licences could be granted. I believe climate change to be one of the greatest dangers facing our country – already the effects can be seen with more extreme weather, landslides and following events in Dorset. We must prepare for rising sea levels and climate changes.

What do you believe could be done to improve the housing situation in Dorset?

The Borough of Poole needs to be much bolder in finding solutions to unlocking land for development and building new social housing units. The running of the Council has been both small C and big C Conservative for too many years leading to inertia – Tories in Poole truly do not see the desperate need for more affordable housing for local people. I should like the compulsory purchase of the Power Station site to be seriously considered for both market housing and social housing.

What three things do you think should be done to improve education provision in Dorset?

A commitment from all public agencies to work together to tackle the root causes of poor educational attainment in some of Poole’s schools – poverty, deprivation, isolation of some communities, second and third generation worklessness and poor reading and writing skills of parents.

How would you tackle the issue of mental health provision in Dorset?

Attempt to break down the social stigmas attached to mental health through education and publicity, have a much more open and honest commitment to the disease, treat it as a real medical problem, involve St Anne’s from the outset, listen to the medical professionals.

What’s your “red line” policy? 

The real terms protection of per pupil education spending in a time of rising pupil numbers. It cannot be right that the future generations suffer for the failures of our generation.

Adrian Oliver, Green

Adrian Oliver is the first ever Green Party candidate for the constituency of Poole.

Website: southeastdorset.greenparty.org.uk

Facebook: facebook.com/AdrianOliverPoole

Email: adrian.oliver@greenparty.org.uk

Helen Rosser, Labour

Helen Rosser is standing as candidate for Labour. 

Mark Howell, Poole People

Mark Howell formed the Poole People party in 2010. He has 15 years experience of working as a lawyer in London, Cairo and Dorset. He also runs a business specialising in communications and employee engagement.

Website: http://www.poolepeople.org.uk/index.php/general-election

Email: mark.howell@poolepeople.org.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poolepeople

He answered the Echo's seven questions as follows: 

Why did you decide to stand in this election?

The Borough of Poole is under-funded by central government, business investment is desperately needed in the town centre, workers and families need affordable housing and the ageing population is placing great strain on care services.

Poole needs an MP with enthusiasm, tenacity and integrity in order to help the Borough negotiate these challenges.  I feel I posses these qualities and my experience as a Borough of Poole councillor has given me a clear understanding of the issues.

As Leader of Poole People, Poole’s independent political party, I also feel that I am ideally placed to challenge the party system, and particularly the practice of whipping, in Parliament.

I believe that the election of a person committed to independent decision-making and cross-party consensus building would pave the way for the creation of a new group of independent MPs in Parliament. If I can prove it is possible to get elected as an independent, others will follow.

What do you believe the key issues of this election to be?

The two headline issues are the economy and the NHS. I believe, however, that the national parties have focused on achieving short-term fixes and failed to address the key issue – sustainability. We need to achieve economic, societal and environmental sustainability.

This will require radical changes to the banking system, investment in individuals and communities, restraints on the profiteering of multinational companies and strategic planning of energy supplies. Ultimately we can only succeed as a country if we re-orientate society so we can maintain the mental and physical health of our people, and empower them to make the most of their talents.

Where do you stand on renewable energy, fracking and climate change?

I think that environmental considerations should be at the centre of national policy making, not only because of the need to limit the effects of climate change, but also because reducing carbon footprints and creating high quality environments is good for individual wellbeing, helps to build community and supports local producers.

We live in a beautiful part of the world but we cannot separate ourselves from the rest of humanity. We need to recognize that electricity generation of any kind has an environmental impact and that, as we all need electricity, we must play our part in producing it.

Gas is currently a relatively cheap and clean form of fuel, but we are dependent on supplies from unstable areas of the world. I am opposed to nuclear power because of the terrible consequences of nuclear contamination and because it is the most expensive form of generation when all costs are considered.

I am also opposed to fracking. I am strongly in favour of producing more electricity locally as this reduces loss on transmission and helps people to understand the consequences of their energy use.

Solar panels and wind power must play a significant part given that we live in a sunny and windy place, but areas of great natural beauty must be protected and residents must not be exposed to noise disturbance.

I have mixed feelings about Navitus Bay. In an ideal world I would prefer it not to be built. I think the involvement of multinationals in its construction opens up questions as to whether we would be getting a good deal financially.

On the other hand, we do need to improve our energy security as a country, and play our part in tackling climate change. Importantly, I do not believe that any candidate in this election will be able to exert any influence with regard to the ultimate decision.

The Planning Inspectorate will reach a conclusion in May and the Secretary of State will make a decision in September. The project may not proceed either because the Inspectorate recommends refusal or because the project company deems it not to be economically viable.

The project has not been cancelled despite objections from local Conservative Councils and MPs to a Conservative-led government. In a post-election environment, such objections will have even less force. To those who object to Navitus Bay, it is your serving MPs that have let you down.

This is perhaps one reason why Robert Syms decided not to attend the hustings. I believe in focusing my attentions in areas where I can actually make a difference, picking battles that I can win. In terms of Poole, this means encouraging businesses to invest, delivering affordable housing, ensuring that we can attract sufficient health workers to locate to the area, and obtaining a fairer funding deal for the Council.

What do you believe could be done to improve the housing situation in Dorset?

If Poole and Bournemouth are to be successful places in the next forty years, they must rebalance their populations by increasing the number of people of working age. We must make it easier for young people in Poole, and newcomers, to secure jobs and housing.

Poole has many empty development sites within its town centre that need to be built out with an appropriate mix of residential and commercial property. I believe the Borough should pursue compulsory purchase of the Regeneration Area in Hamworthy.

If elected, I would work hard to secure government investment to transform it into a vibrant living and working environment. Towns and villages in East Dorset will, however, also need to increase their housing stock to help achieve this objective.

What three things do you think should be done to improve education provision in Dorset?

Poole’s schools are underperforming compared to other areas of the country. Why is not understood, which probably means there are multiple reasons.

Firstly, I would bring together teachers, parents, health professionals and business people together in a conference/working party to try to identify the causes.

Secondly, I would work in Parliament to achieve better funding for children’s mental health services.

Thirdly, as evidence shows that children in coastal towns are performing less well, I would work with MPs from these areas to secure additional funding to redress this imbalance.

How would you tackle the issue of mental health provision in Dorset?

I believe we need a fundamental rebalancing of funding in the NHS. Mental health has been under-funded for many years. Many mental health issues, however, lead to physical health problems. Tackling mental health issues at an early stage therefore saves money, as well as releasing people to be more productive within society.

Wellbeing should be the central plank of government policy. In particular, we need to tackle the effects of isolation by strengthening local communities and encouraging more people to participate in group activities.

What’s your “red line” policy?

I believe that increasing inequality is the greatest threat to peace in the modern world. It is undermining national economies, prompting conflict and migration, and causing societies to become fragmented and less caring. If elected, I will work hard to raise the incomes of ordinary people and will not agree to policies that will increase the gap between them and the wealthiest 1%.

David Young, Ukip 

UKip candidate David Young has built a business in Poole over the past 15 years and is also raising a family in the area.

Twitter: @Young4Poole

Facebook: facebook.com/pages/David-Young-UKIP/340815076059435

Website: http://ukippoole.co.uk

He answered the Echo's seven questions as follows: 

Why did you decide to stand in this election?
 
I have become increasingly concerned over the  last 20 years about the way our country is going and the failure of the political class to tell the truth and deal properly with the problems we have been facing:

Titanic, ever-increasing public debt (to 80%of GDP), only sustainable at the current low interest rates.
Failure to reform our financial system to prevent another crisis and failure to put bankers behind bars.
Sad state of the Union, after Blair’s unbalanced devolution & Cameron’s disastrously mis-handled Scottish Independence Referendum. We need to heal our nation’s divisions. Neither Labour nor the Conservatives can possibly do this, banished and hated as they are in Scotland.

Suppression of discussion of our EU membership (since it divides both major parties), which makes it much harder to tackle a number of our key problems. UKIP has put this on the political agenda.
Suppression of discussion of immigration (which is really about pace, not race). UKIP has put this on the political agenda.

Attack on the Judaeo-Christian foundations of our society (for example: the marginalisation of Christians bordering now on persecution, and the hasty enactment into law of Same-Sex Marriage, of which there was no manifesto mention and for which there was no democratic mandate). UKIP has put this on the political agenda.

What do you believe the key issues of this election to be?

Economically: financial prudence (“austerity”) vs increased borrowing to relieve pain from government spending cuts. But there is a middle way: leave the EU, save £10Bn/year in membership costs and boost British trade with the rest of the world while trading on with the EU (as do Norway & Switzerland, which are not EU members).
 

Politically: who’s in charge? Let’s have a fair referendum on whether we really want 70% of our rules coming from unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats in Brussels, or whether we want our country, our borders and our fisheries back.
 

Morally: who is government for?

The rich & big business, in England (Conservatives)?

The Unions and workers, in England (Labour)?

Everybody & small business, throughout the UK (UKIP)

Where do you stand on renewable energy, fracking and climate change?

UKIP is all in favour of renewable energy where it can deliver electricity at competitive prices. So far only hydro meets this test. Wind energy, being intermittent, requires back-up conventional power supply, which makes it expensive as well as unreliable. It is unfair to tax consumers for this.

UKIP supports the development of shale gas, provided safeguards are in place to protect local communities and the environment.  Community Infrastructure Levy income from shale gas operations will be earmarked for lower Council Taxes or local community projects. No energy extraction technology is perfectly safe, but shale gas operations in the US, where tens of thousands of shale wells have been drilled and fracked for over 50 years, have proved remarkably unproblematic , especially by comparison to other methods of energy extraction.  I understand that our own local Wytch Farm well uses fracking technology, by the way! What is clearly unsafe is the UK’s over-dependence on imports from politically unstable countries. In the interests of energy security alone, the prospect of home-grown shale gas is an enormous opportunity it would be irresponsible to ignore.

UKIP does not have a party line on climate change. (We have both sceptics and believers on whether it is real and if so, on whether or not it is man-made. I believe that the implications of it being real and man-made are so serious that we must forge global action to deal with it). UKIP’s position is that the three old parties collude to reinforce failing energy policies that will do nothing to reduce global emissions, but which will bring hardship to British families. Their ‘green’ agenda does not make them friends of the earth: it makes them enemies of the people.

What do you believe could be done to improve the housing situation in Dorset?

Require council Planning Departments to ensure progress with big brownfield sites, such as we have in Hamworthy, for example.

Remove barriers to brownfield building – with grants for ground remediation & stamp duty exemption on first sale.

Release dormant land held by government and councils for affordable housing development.
Abolish VAT on property refurbishment.

Bring back empty homes into use – with a statutory duty on local councils to charge those whose homes are empty for more than 2 years 50% more than the applicable rate of council tax.

Plow all proceeds of right to buy arrangements back into local, affordable housing.

Whatever we do; we MUST protect the Green Belt!

What three things do you think should be done to improve education provision in Dorset?

Help the county’s worst-performing schools, including St Aldhelm’s in Poole (real help, not re-branding). Pay first rate practising teachers extra to stay in the classroom and be mentors to trainee teachers.

Encouragement of Grammar schools and Vocational schools & colleges (linked with industry).
Abolition of university fees, initially for Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths & Medecine.

How would you tackle the issue of mental health provision in Dorset?

Integration of health and social care, under the NHS (a UKIP national policy).

Much better funding. Nationally, UKIP is committed to spending an extra £170M annually on mental health.

Many rough sleepers and those with mental impairment are ex services. Their treatment has been a scandal. We would put more resources into helping our veterans. 

Although the use of mind-bending drugs is a cause of mental disorder,  there has not been a sufficient war on drugs. It is time much more attention was paid to this by police and council social care. 

What’s your “red line” policy?

Since UKIP aspires to hold a balance of power after the election, the critical issue on which we would require a commitment from any government we could support would be the holding of a fair referendum on Britain’s EU membership. This is because we are convinced that leaving the EU would release a tremendous amount of money and motivation for our country!

Ian Northover, Independent

Ian Northover was born in Poole and lived most of his life in the town. He is a great-grandfather and started working life as a baker, then worked on boats at Kingfisher Yachts in Creekmoor, before becoming a lorry driver.

Email: enquiries@poole-independents.co.uk

Why did you decide to stand in this election?

I don't believe the police are fit for purpose and also there is a lot that could be done to improve services in the BOP and the whole country.

What do you believe the key issues of this election to be?

To get this country great again, self sufficient in energy, not relying on a wind farm which is costing billions of pounds and is a hazard that is waiting to happen. 

I have been looking at the river system that runs through the other side of Blandord and I can see ways of putting in a low cost mini hydroelectric system and also giving a new road at Durweston and do away with the dangerous junction at Shillingstone. I have also been looking at a dam and a way of putting a road on top. 

I want the country to become self-sufficient, well-armed where we are armed to the power without having to go cap in hand to America which would increase employment.

What three things do you think should be done to improve education provision in Dorset?

Education in this country would be very good if we could have the government stop meddling and upsetting the teachers. The education system has always worked over the years, it has its faults mainly in the sense that children are about to be run riot in some cases. There are too many inspecorations, which are achieving nothing.

What do you believe could be done to improve the housing situation in Dorset?

In the town centres, there are quite a number of empty shops. Above the shops are spaces that are used in a lot of occasions for flats and storage rooms,. If these were brought into use and converted into housing it would being people into the town centre and would do away with people having to use their cars to do their shopping. It would also help local traders. I also believe we should utilise Holes Bay for housing. 

Where do you stand on renewable energy, fracking and climate change?

The climate in the country has always been variable. This is owing to how we move around in the solar system. We are starting to worry ourselves silly, it is making the people sick worrying about global warming. 

What’s your “red line” policy?

My "red line" policy is to get Britain great again. Self-sufficient in fuel and our armed services. Also properly managed land so we wouldn't need to import so much stuff from overseas which the countrys themselves could have, which would cut down on the aid budget.