Election 2017 / Frances Valente
| Candidate Name | Frances Valente |
| Electoral Ward | Lerwick South |
| Description (if any) | Independent |
I am standing for election because I have reached the stage in my life where I now have the experience, time and personal qualities that would help me to be an effective councillor. I have always taken an interest in politics and I am not the kind of person that likes to sit back and criticise without making some attempt to make things better.
I have spent over 25 years in the public sector; mostly in the Civil Service, but also in the NHS, and for a local authority in Hampshire, where I was a service development manager for housing, environmental health, planning and building control. I have experience of having to work with dwindling budgets at the same time as increased demand on services.
I work for a local civil and structural engineering company, which has been a useful and interesting contrast to my public sector experience. I moved to Shetland in 2003 and I live in Lerwick with my 18 year old son, Ian, who is currently studying at university.
In brief my manifesto includes promises to work to:
- Minimise the impact of austerity on the services we value, such as community care and education.
- Add to the stock of affordable housing in places that people want to live.
- Improve the public transport service – including sorting out the town bus service so that it works for commuters and shoppers and for downward pressure on prices for travel to and from Shetland.
- Ensure that all young people get the best start in life through the provision of good education, after-school clubs, more modern apprenticeships, and access to further and higher education in Shetland for those who do not wish to leave Shetland, and continued investment in the Bridges project.
- Promote economic growth by ensuring that services that support businesses run efficiently, and this includes services like building control, planning, and economic development.
- Support social enterprise schemes such as COPE Ltd that plays such an important role in the community, creating essential training and employment for people with special needs, and providing added value to the community through the Soap Company, Shetland Home Company and Shetland Garden Company.
- Ensure that Shetland continues to be a desirable place in which to live, work or visit, by protecting and investing in the infrastructure that supports a high standard of living. This includes supporting businesses in Lerwick town centre who struggle with high rents, frequent business failures, and reduced numbers of shoppers in the town.
- Work with the NHS to make plans for the development of social care services, for which demand is set to increase in the future.
- Harness the creativity, expertise and experience of council staff instead of employing expensive consultants to find solutions to problems.
- Promote openness in debate. Secrecy is not helpful in a democracy and the press and public have a right to know how their money is being managed.
Contact details:
Phone: 01595 692327
Mobile: 07769 750497
Email: frances.valente@hotmail.co.uk
Web: http://shetlandcouncillor.blogspot.co.uk
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valentefrances/
Twitter @frankievalente
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