Steve’s By-Election Speech

Steve’s By-election speech

Councillor Steve Ridley speaks about his election to Borough Councillor at the 17th July 2025 Dartford By-Election.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am deeply honoured, and extremely grateful, to the people of the Maypole and Leyton Cross Ward for turning out and voting at this by-election, and as a result, electing me to become their new Reform UK Councillor, and to them I say – a very, very, big thank you.

Whilst a victory for myself – Steve Ridley, and Reform UK, it is also a great victory for the people of my ward, who now have a strong voice, and one that will honestly and accurately represent their views and concerns loud and clear in council.

Indeed, the voting results clearly show that the people have spoken, and urgently want real commonsense change, not just more of the same that has gone before.

I am aware that the primary duty of a councillor, is to serve the people of the ward that they represent, one which I believe has sadly been forgotten by many these days, therefore one of my first tasks will be to arrange regular surgeries, where constituents can tell me of their concerns, which I will listen to and hear them and then carry these forwards to council and any relevant strategic partners

However, I too have concerns – concerns in the increase of crime in the area, of violent crime and anti-social behaviour, of cross border county lines drugs issues which infiltrate our locality from the London area. Concerns of Roads Policing matters, many of which have been reported to me during my campaigning in this by-election, as well as fly tipping that has become almost an everyday occurrence and the blight and scourge of our beautiful County

Concerns over the relentless housing developments rising up in and around Dartford and the surrounding areas, these with little or no infrastructure, and the huge increase in population to our area that this brings, putting intolerable pressure on our existing infrastructure which is no longer able to cope, and as a result people struggling to gets doctor’s appointments, hospital appointments, issues with education, transportation, traffic congestion, and parking to name but a few, and as a result now spoils the daily life of all who live here.

Concerns that as a result we are losing our wildlife corridors and green spaces to development. For my part I came to this area some 30 years ago to be surrounded by nature not housing development, and I am certain that many of you were the same. Also seeing the unique and special character of our villages dramatically change as they rapidly disappear before our eyes, as they become one large conurbation and urban sprawl, and is certainly not what the people asked for.

As a councillor I also intend to ensure that the council’s projects are appropriate, what the people want, what the people need, and if appropriate, are timely, within budget, and most importantly are good value for the people who pay for such projects through their taxes, and are not some “folly” that becomes a black hole into which copious amounts of money poured, lost and wasted.

Ladies and Gentlemen, talking of waste – Financial waste is a matter that should concern all of us, and when found, needs to be rooted out, denounced, and prevented from ever occurring again, and let’s face it whether derived from council taxes or government grant it is all public money, which is and must be accountable and transparent.

These are just a few of the issues that I will concern myself with on behalf of the voters of my ward

Finally, I would like to share with you a strongly held belief of all Reform UK members, and that is believing in the true value of Family, Community, and Country which forms the corner stones and bedrock of what is important and what really matters to British people and our Country, which must never be forgotten nor usurped or crushed.

Thank you