JAMES PATRICK SHEEHY

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE FOR QUEENS PARK & CHARMINSTER: BCP LOCAL ELECTIONS 2027

Thanks for taking the time to visit my website. This is the best place to get unbiased information about me, your local independent candidate in Queens Park & Charminster. You can read about what I stand for, what I am learning from my fellow townspeople on the doorstep campaign and follow my blog as I scrutinise the passage of business through the current BCP administration.

I'm out every week knocking on doors and listening to what you have to say about this place. If you see me out and about, please stop to say hello. If I haven't knocked on your door, don't worry - I will be, but if you want to talk about our local politics with me then you can get in touch any time through my socials, or directly through this website!

My Story

WHAT DO I STAND FOR?

TACKLING URBAN DECAY

BCP's shocking state of urban decay is all around us. Our street scenes are now depressing and decrepit. Lamp-posts are falling to pieces, giant weeds explode out of every corner and traffic safety is compromised as essential line marking fades to dust.

These are not expensive things to maintain. The longer BCP ignores it's growing maintenance deficit, the more expensive it becomes to fix.

CHARMINSTER ROAD SAFETY

The closed junctions in the Charminster neighbourhood are almost completely eroded away. Former safety surface dressings in bright red are gone and regular crashes are witnessed as drivers fail to stop and give way.

This is a scandalous safety issue. A simple Google Streetview reveals these junctions haven't been re-dressed or repainted in at least 16 years.

LOOKING FORWARDS
NOT BACKWARDS

The creation of one, new local authority was a good thing for this place. Parochial attitudes and many councillors wishing to turn the clock back to pre-merger days is an act of pointless naval gazing.

All councillors have a moral duty to embrace the new BCP identity and get on with the job of making a success of the new council. Times have changed and we must learn to move with the times.

HOUSING THE NEXT GENERATION

BCP's housing plan was rejected by the planning inspectorate after failing in its "duty to co-operate" with neighbouring councils. It costs around £400,000 to develop a local plan. Each failure represents a massive cost to us all.

It is not a choice of whether we develop, but rather how we develop. There is no more land for family homes, so the only way is up. I think Lansdowne is a fantastic example of modern regeneration and development

You can read about BCP's failure in the local planning process here.

END ALL NEW 'HMO' LICENCING

Too many high quality, heritage family homes have been lost by being carved up into poor quality flats and studio apartments under the 'Houses of Multiple Occupation' licencing scheme.

BCP has over 1,400 HMOs. Coupled with fit for purpose development of new flats and apartments, this massive number of former houses could be liberated back to the open market and rebalance our housing stock. If landlords can't be trusted to provide quality housing, they shouldn't be enabled by the local authority.

You can inspect the register of HMO's in BCP here.

HELP PEOPLE ESCAPE A LIFE OF DRUG USE

Nobody "chooses" a life of addiction. In 2016, BCP ranked in the top 10 destinations for drug related deaths in the UK. According to the ONS, 38 people died in BCP in 2016 due to drug misuse.

In 2023, that figure rose to 65 deaths, with an average of 30 lives lost each year in BCP to drug misuse. The conspicuous lack of mention by BCP is brushing this major social issue under the carpet. It's time to get real about the major drug trade and addiction facing BCP.

You can download the official ONS statistics on drug deaths in BCP here.

GRAFFITI & THE ARTS

The broken window theory has been proven time over. BCP no longer actively cleans graffiti which is as prolific as it ever was. One 'tag' invites many more.

BCP must restore pro-active graffiti removal and learn from other local authorities about how to engage with young people who have an interest in graffiti. I propose the creation of a purpose built 'graffiti wall' in Cyril Park to give expressionistic youth a place to make their mark.

There are already many graffiti walls around the UK as demonstrated here.

CREATING A
NIGHT-TIME MAYOR

The night-time economy is exceptionally important to tourist towns. We cannot afford to keep driving away people who want to spend their money here, and a continued "anti-club" and "anti-nightlife" attitude in a town where nightlife is the backbone of the student economy is a recipe for disaster.

Night-Time Mayors are a concept adopted around the globe to specifically focus on the growth and management of safe and respectable nightlife. BCP should create a new portfolio holder for the night-time economy.

You can learn more about night-mayors here.

BIODIVERSITY IN
QUEENS PARK

A well used and expansive asset, Queens Park is brimming with potential to improve biodiversity and habitats for native species without encroaching on the benefits of the private-members golf course which dominates the landscape.

A greater balance should be struck between the interests of golfers and the thousands of local citizens for whom Queen's Park is their primary green space, in a way that does not affect the viability or success of the golf club.

You can read more about sustainable golf here.

GET
IN
TOUCH

I want to be representative for everybody in Queens Park & Charminster, so I need to hear what you have to say and tell me what you need your councillors to do for you.

Get in touch to share your views or arrange to meet me at a time that suits you.