My politics: Councillor Stephen Shing

In the next few years, I will continue to work to improve road safety and to provide better facilities for young people in the area. More police, better street lighting and more facilities will also help address problems such as vandalism and littering.

In the longer term, the local development framework has serious implications for housing and schools in this area. There is already a shortage of affordable homes.

The needs in Willingdon and Polegate area are to provide extra affordable homes, rehabilitation homes, recreation spaces and youth facilities. Our schools are also over-subscribed. There is already a shortage without any new development. So I intend to address these important problems.

Proposals in the South-East Plan to build more housing in the Willingdon and Polegate area also threaten the future of the green spaces, such as Hindslands and Morning Mills Farm which were supposed to be protected by the recent Wealden Local Plan. But this document is already virtually redundant, and mass development looms large again.

With the prospect of these developments starting in 2006, I feel it is vital that all politicians, community representatives and residents raise their voices, again, against any such proposals. There are so many reasons for concern – flood plains, infrastructural provision (schools, service supplies, medical centres and public transport) and the increased levels of traffic. In my opinion, these are being ignored by the authorities, planners and developers.

Government reports actually indicate less demand for extra housing in this area while these reports place emphasis on developing greenfield sites rather than brownfield sites.

This threat to our communities needs to be challenged now, and to be challenged strongly and tirelessly. I shall be doing so and call on all others to join me now in this fight. Sadly I have not received sufficient support on this occasion but I will continue to raise my concerns on this matter.