Richard Harris

I've lived in Fareham for 21 years along with my family, close to Knowle Village and Funtley. This is our home and we love having the town and waterfront on one side and the beautiful villages of Wickham and Southwick on the other. Wickham and Southwick are what ‘community’ is all about. Steeped in history, a home to many small family businesses, lovely pubs and scenic walks along the Meon Valley Trail, locally organised events.

I am not a politician and I'm running for election for the first time; you might wonder why. Well to put it bluntly, I've had enough of voting for parties that clearly don't listen and I realise that in order for change to happen, people like me need to stand up and do something. Our towns need to prosper, our villages need to be cherished, our farming communities need to be supported and our beautiful landscapes preserved.

I work in IT and use the railway station in Fareham primarily because of the increasing congestion on our roads and lack of proper maintenance. Near to where I live, Welborne Village is being created and this will have a huge impact on the local area and the provision of key services that are already under strain. The fact that this is a Fareham Borough Council project which impacts our nearby villages under Winchester City Council is why I am standing at both local and county level.

Local council and county council decisions don't appear to be helping the situation and in some cases are making it worse. Plans lacking common sense, driven by ideas which are not fully thought out with no clear direction. Every decision has a financial impact and I question if our money is being spent wisely.

I am proud to live in this part of Hampshire. The truth is we won't see the change we want to see and protect the things we care about unless we work together and make our voices heard. If elected, I will be committed to listening to the community and driving our interests and concerns. Please consider lending me your vote.

Fareham Town - Hamsphire County Council
Southwick & Wickham - Winchester City Council