Interview with Sarah Reaney
Today, I present an interview with Sarah Reaney – a Reform Party candidate in the County Council elections. Before we start, here’s a little disclaimer: I sent invitations to almost all candidates (I couldn’t find a contact for one of them) on the Shirebrook & Pleasley ward list. Only Sarah Reaney responded.
On the one hand, it’s a sad statement of the quality of candidates, but on the other hand, it shows you exactly who is working hard for your trust and who is counting on your vote because they have a “good ol’ logo” beside their names. Below is the complete list of candidates. It suggests that I should have several interviews. Still, I have only one…
CAMPAIGN? WHAT CAMPAIGN! GIVE ME YOUR VOTE FOR NOTHING!
At this point, Sarah Reaney is the only candidate communicating with residents. Everyone else on the list is waiting for… well, what exactly? I don’t know about my readers, but personally, I feel disappointed that everyone except Reform decided that votes come simply from a logo.
Anyway, let’s leave the “paper” candidates behind and focus on what Sarah Reaney has to say. I present the questions and start with the simplest one: why should residents vote for Sarah? I present all answers without any changes on my part, but at the end, I’ve included a small summary. I also attached two photos sent by Sarah. Enjoy!
INTERVIEW. THE ONE. THE ONLY. SARAH REANEY!
Question: Why should residents vote for you?
Answer: I am just a normal hard working woman who has had enough of how our communities are being run. I was always, and still am, moaning about poor decisions being made over and over again, but rather than moan about it, I have decided to actually do something – put my head above the parapet and try to make a difference. Shirebrook and Pleasley deserve better and I promise that I will do the best that I can do to put the heart back into community- the soul is already there.
Q: As a councillor, you can do various things to improve the lives of the residents of your ward. However, I would like you to list the three most important things you want to achieve as a Shirebrook councillor. Briefly explain why you chose these three things.
A: Accessibility, Transparency and being Proactive. Our politics in the constituency are at an all time low. Getting information to residents and businesses has never been such a priority. This will require someone (such as myself) to take a grip of the situation and lead so we don’t have a repeat of the void of information and debacle that is the Shirebrook Market place renovations and new council offices that nobody wants.
Q: What is your stance on the proposed housing developments on the outskirts of Shirebrook, and how would you ensure local infrastructure can support population growth?
A: I want my green spaces to remain. But in answer to your question- the infrastructure needs to come first before any housing developments. New housing puts a strain on resources which are pulling at the seams as it is.
Q: The current County Councillor does not provide residents with any information about his/her work. Currently, most residents do not even know who their County Councillor is. How do you intend to communicate the results of your work if you win?
A: As we head towards a new Unitary Authority it is crucial that the county Councillor for Shirebrook and Pleasley is leading and coordinating not only County activities but with the Town Council and Bolsover District Council. Communication is everything. We do have monthly REFORM meetings which are open to all- not just members where issues are discussed. I have direct communication with the various action groups for the area as well and hope if elected to be invited to their meetings where we can exchange ideas.
Q: What lessons have you drawn from observing the current County Councillor, and how would you intend to improve on it?
A: It seems hard to learn lessons from someone without a vision of how good things could be.
Q: In your opinion- what is Shirebrook’s single most pressing infrastructure challenge?
A: A coherent plan for infrastructure is what is required. It should be the needs of the community above any third parties invested interests. I would like to see business invest in the area to create jobs in the first instance. The energy market would be an ideal start- after all wasn’t our community the beating heart of energy production until the early 90’s; our community could be that once more.
Q: What do you see as outsiders’ most significant misconception about Shirebrook, and how would you work to change that perception?
A: Shirebrook seems to be a forgotten town which deserves so much more. The people deserve so much more. Let’s get Shirebrook back on the map by engaging investors. We have so much to offer.
Q: How would you approach balancing the needs of elderly residents with those of young families in decisions about community resources and services?
A: As you may be aware the Social Care budget is the biggest expense of the county’s budget. Private enterprise seems to have taken over the care of the elderly and vulnerable children at extreme cost (profit should not become before care in my opinion). I will be asking questions as to why most of our care homes have been sold off.
Q: If elected, you will have to work with a 100% run Shirebrook Town Council. What do you expect from that relationship?
A: My hope is that the REFORM message is spreading and that we get REFORMERS in positions on the Town Council who listen to the people, ask for people opinions and use a common sense approach to any decision making
Q: How do you plan to address the persistent issue of fly-tipping in certain areas of Shirebrook, particularly around Brook Park?
A: I must say fly tipping is an issue that not only Shirebrook and Pleasley suffer from. More accessibility to refuse sites would be a start alongside steeper fines for people caught and maybe points on a driving license may curb the offenders. Police out on patrol in fly tipping black spots is also something to be looked at.
Q: Shirebrook Market has struggled in recent years with declining footfall. What specific initiatives would you propose to revitalize it?
A: Now we are stuck with the Market wouldn’t it be nice to have craft fairs and Christmas markets as well as farmers and food markets. To incentivise initially by not charging the stall holders to be there. This would encourage stall holders to come and the residents would want to visit the market thus increasing the footfall.
Q: Anti-social behaviour around the train station, model village and town centre has been a concern for residents. What practical steps would you take to improve this situation?
A: Again – the police need to be out patrolling the streets. The police know where the issues are such as anti social behaviour and drug dealing. A clear message needs to be sent – a zero tolerance approach.
Q: How do you intend to improve communication between county council decisions and Shirebrook residents who feel disconnected from Matlock?
A: As mentioned above our REFORM meetings are open to all. I want the lines of communication to be open with the public and I hope that I will be invited to any Action group meetings and Town council meetings so I can hear first hand of issues and relay any news that I may have regarding County Council Information.
End of interview
“THE SOUL IS ALREADY THERE”
I used the candidate’s sentence as a chapter title for a reason—it’s a beautiful, deeply cutting sentence that perfectly sums up the candidate, this interview, and our town. Sarah is right to underline that. Shirebrook has a soul: beaten, bruised, neglected, yet still ready to roll. All we need now is a body—a body that fights for us.
Too many Labour politicians do nothing, and that is the main reason why Shirebrook is falling behind. They are like zombies waking up only right before elections. This town has voted Labour for decades. Election after election, we hear how Labour will make Shirebrook better. But are they? I asked about the lack of communication from the current councillor for a reason—she has been there for 4 years. I have never received any information from her. I CAN’T EVEN RECALL HER NAME without looking it up on the Internet! She is invisible, inactive, or straight-out lazy.
Even in election time—I got NOTHING from her. And yet—Labour is still favoured to win. It’s beyond me why so many people do the same thing again and again and expect a different result…
You want a different result—you need to trust different people.
MY VOTE GOES TO…
Sarah Reaney. Not only because she was the only one to campaign in Shirebrook but also because I feel her passion, drive for change, and ambition to turn things around. Most of her answers feel honest, and yes, maybe a few of them sound rehearsed and too much thought through (frankly- it is a weakness of this style of interviews; from now on- only face-to-face interviews), but she made an effort and was ready to work with me to present herself as best as possible. For me, it’s a confirmation that she will work to prove herself to everyone when she wins.
There is an old proverb—don’t judge people by their words but by their actions. It seems to me that all other candidates have decided to take themselves out of consideration through their inactivity, silence, and disregard for the residents of Shirebrook.
So, I made my decision. Sarah! You have my vote. Good luck!
Sylwester Zwierzynski info@shirebrook247.com
Lead picture made with Midjourney
