Denise Bickley is standing for election to represent the Sidmouth Town ward at East Devon District Council as an independent.

She is currently a councillor at district and town level.

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Firstly, can I ask you simply to vote. Voter apathy is at an all-time high and I can understand why - we are being let down by national government to the point where nobody trusts a politician.

That's why one of my biggest compliments in the last couple of years has been "you don't seem like a politician."

I took this to mean I am ethical, honest, hard-working, community-minded and generally nice.

Luckily at EDDC, I have been lucky to be surrounded by other like-minded people who came together to form the Democratic Alliance.

I would love the chance to carry on with this group as we are making firm inroads into changing the ethos at EDDC.

Despite woeful cuts to budgets, and the last three years being extraordinarily challenging for everybody due to Covid-19, we have managed to balance the budget as well as creatively manage so many projects. 

It's easy to print a leaflet saying 'boo to EDDC's cuts to toilets and to the price increases in the car parks'.

Ask yourself this - if we hadn't raised prices (which has raised an extra £1m+), but whilst simultaneously marketing very affordable resident parking permits, how would we have managed the budget? Which services would we have cut?

If we didn't try to streamline our incredibly mismanaged toilets by offering up some to private businesses or community groups, how would we have funded the upgrades?

Just look at Conservative-run Devon County Council and see what happens when you aren't thoughtful with budgeting.

If I can ask you to vote for me I promise to put the environment first.

We are in a climate and ecological emergency, and we need to start behaving like it.

I am staunchly pro-improving biodiversity, and against ecocide (wilful pollution or destruction of environment, including but not limited to felling healthy trees, allowing agricultural run-off and sewage into rivers and the sea, and animal abuse in any form).

I work with local biodiversity groups and my own group Sidmouth Plastic Warriors to improve our area and am never afraid to speak out about important issues.

More information can be found at denisebickley.info.

SEE ALSO: Full list of Sidmouth local elections candidates announced