All candidates interviewed
There are four candidates standing in the Portswood ward local elections on Thursday, May 5, 2022. The ward includes St Denys and Highfield. We gave each candidate the same chance to put information in front of electors, and asked them all the same questions. 'Read more' to find out what they had to say...
If you live in Bitterne Park ward, find out about your local election candidates here.
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Residents get the chance to decide who will represent them on the city council, and which party (if any) controls Southampton City Council itself at the May 5 local elections.
The city council is currently controlled by the Conservatives.
Each city ward has three councillors, with one (usually) completing their term of office each year and their seat being put up for election.
In Portswood it's Labour councillor Lisa Mitchell’s seat that is up for election. She's currently one of three Labour councillors representing the ward, and is restanding.
Interestingly this time there is no Lib Dem candidate standing in this ward, with the party asking its voters, as they are in some other wards, to consider voting Green. (The Greens are standing aside in some other wards and urging a Lib Dem vote. Neither party is currently represented on the council.)
What happened last time?
Green Party 1082
Liberal Democrat 718
Labour Party 1455 - Elected
Local Conservatives 670
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition – 39
Turnout 36.86%
Who's standing this time – and what do they stand for?
The candidates standing in Portswood ward this time are:
You can jump to each candidate's interview by clicking on their name below , or just scrolll down.
BARBOUR, Katherine Jane, Green Party
CHENG, Vikkie, Local Conservatives
MITCHELL, Lisa, Labour Party
TWINE, Tony, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
What do the candidates say?
Here's what we received back from the candidates, in alphabetical order. We asked them all the same questions, and there was a strict word limit for each (which varied between questions). We did't edit or 'check their work'.
We'd like to say a massive thank you to all the candidates who invested their time to take part in, and navigate, our fairly detailed process. It's appreciated.
If you live in Bitterne Park ward, find out about your local election candidates here.
BARBOUR, Katherine Jane - Green Party
What do you hope to achieve for the ward if you are elected?
Firstly to attend to constituent concerns which are being raised to me on a daily basis, examples of this are potholes, litter, dog faeces, dangers on the roads and pavements, recycling. People say they struggle to contact the council about issues and local councillors can act as the route for concerns. Secondly to ensure that Portswood gets it fair share of the budget when decisions are being made about resource allocation for wards across the city. Thirdly mental health issues are growing every day and local people are struggling to recover from the pandemic. A future edition of GreenView (Green Party periodic magazine in Portswood) will focus on this issue and share services that exist in our area and how and where people can get help.
What do you hope to achieve for the city if you are elected?
I plan to work with all parts of the council to review and update the cycling strategy. This work needs to be integrated with other forms of travel such as bus and walking with a longer term focus on sustainable travel. The city can then bid for funds to enhance the infrastructure of cycle ways across and around the city.
What is the biggest single issue for Portswood ward?
From conversations on the doorstep right across Portswood ward the biggest issue I hear from our residents is the state of the roads and the enormous amounts of traffic using these roads. Potholes, queues, parking spaces, dead ends and rat runs [cut: wordcount exceeded]
What is the biggest single issue for Southampton residents?
The biggest issue for Southampton residents is global warming as it is estimated that parts of the city will go under water in the future. The Green Party has campaigned on environmental issues since its foundation in 1973. Many of [cut: wordcount exceeded]
We’re told in our recent survey that the plans to extend Southampton Airport’s runway is important to local readers. What effect do you think this might have on local residents?
Expanding the airport will undoubtedly wreck many people’s lives. The din of the aircraft will ruin the tranquillity of parks and gardens under the flight path and surrounding areas. Air pollution from the aircraft is the silent killer living amongst us and killing us, our friends, neighbours and families.
The Green Party has been campaigning against this for 3 years and it goes to judicial review w/s 25 April 2022. If runway extension goes ahead our lives will be blighted for a generation, we will continue to try to prevent this from going ahead.
Would you like to see any particular changes to Portswood’s district centre?
Having surveyed all the shop keepers on Portswood High St in 2020 there was enthusiasm for making the high st a pedestrian zone. On the doorstep many people around Portswood are keen to make this a vibrant shopping and leisure area and to prevent any more fast food take aways setting up in this area.10 years ago there were 8 coffee shops, today there are over 35 places. Research from other cities where pedestrianisation has been implemented show a 3 fold increase in footfall and increasing spend and time spent in the local area. This would benefit our shopkeepers
Given the information in the recent IPCC report, what should the council be doing to address climate change?
SCC declared a climate emergency in 2019 but this only relates to council services. Travel to council meetings by all councillors needs to be by battery operated vehicles, bus, cycle or walking. The council needs to use the geo thermal energy in the city centre to power more buildings and to mandate any building developments to use this power source. All council vehicles need to be switched to electric. The council does not know how well insulated its own properties are and whether they can be retrofitted, this survey needs to be urgently undertaken.
CHENG, Vikkie - Local Conservatives
What do you hope to achieve for the ward if you are elected?
If I am elected, I will continue to work hard for the local residents and make sure that they are well represented on the City Council. My first priority would be to improve the condition of the roads and pavements in Portswood. Every road in poor condition needs to be repaired, resurfaced and all potholes be fixed. Local Conservatives have made a great start with 92 roads and pavements resurfaced in less than a year and 5,000 potholes filled. Many roads in Portswood are very dirty and need to be cleaned regularly. I will ensure that Council tax, council rents and charges will be frozen for 2022. I will work with the Council, police and Donna Jones, Hants & IOW Police & Crime Commissioner, to tackle anti-social behaviour issues in the area. Tackling speeding traffic is also an important issue in Portswood. I will consult with residents about introducing 20mph speed limits and other traffic calming measures. Where residents want reduced speeds, I will back them to ensure that necessary action is taken. We have set up a new £500k community fund to support youth and community services and I will ensure local communities are supported.
What do you hope to achieve for the city if you are elected?
Southampton has been shortlisted to the final four as a candidate for the title of UK City of Culture 2025 and it is crucial for us to promote the city collectively. I have been involved in local communities in Southampton for the past 6 years and am proud to see Southampton flourish and thrive as a multi-cultural city. We need to ensure that people feel welcome to the city. We will ensure historic heritage and green spaces are protected and any environmental problems like littering and overgrown hedges dealt with without delay! We will have new public transport gateways at Southampton Central Station and around the city centre to create a welcoming experience. To promote better residents’ wellbeing, we should have the space to get around safely, easily and sustainably. I want to see far more local trains and frequent services from local stations like St Denys.
What is the biggest single issue for Portswood ward?
The condition of roads and pavements is the biggest issue in Portswood. Local Conservatives have arranged for Brookvale Road to be resurfaced this summer and we are tackling the dreadful state of the cutway between Highfield Lane and Portswood Road.
What is the biggest single issue for Southampton residents?
Keeping residents’ costs down. The next few years will be tough for many with rising fuel prices and costs. Local Conservatives are freezing council tax and council rents. Let’s not go back to the big council tax hikes under Labour.
We’re told in our recent survey that the plans to extend Southampton Airport’s runway is important to local readers. What effect do you think this might have on local residents?
I think the runway extension will safeguard the viability of our local airport and protect the connectivity that links our region to destinations across the rest of the UK and Europe. A longer runway will allow us to attract new airlines and offer new routes, creating exciting opportunities for business and leisure, while contributing the economic success. I think this plan will have positive effect on local residents. Some people understandably express concerns about the environmental issues such as noise pollution. These should be carefully mitigated, but in the long run the benefits will outweigh these issues.
Would you like to see any particular changes to Portswood’s district centre?
There are many potholes that need to be fixed in Portswood and therefore the improved condition of dirty and broken roads in Portswood comes on the top of my list of changes that I want to see. All roads should be cleaned regularly. This is why I am delighted that Local Conservatives have instigated a Big City Clean, which will see Portswood Broadway being jet washed and graffiti removed. There are some areas in Portswood where residents want to see 20mph speed limits limited, so as to save lives and reduce injuries and I very much support this.
Given the information in the recent IPCC report, what should the council be doing to address climate change?
It makes sense for the local council to encourage people to drive electric cars. I support the new procurement exercise by the Conservatives on the City Council which will see lots of new charging points on council land. New build properties should use solar panels so as to bring down the energy reliance on fossil fuels. Southampton needs a more effective transport network where people are encouraged to use the public means of transport such as buses, trains or cycling.
What do you hope to achieve for the ward if you are elected?
If re-elected I will continue working hard for our area. I love living here and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved so far for my home but I know that there’s more to do. I want every person who lives in Portswood Ward to feel as though they matter, whether that means making sure that our children have fantastic parks to play in, ensuring that people have high quality and affordable housing or working to make sure the air we breathe and our environment is clean.
What do you hope to achieve for the city if you are elected?
I’m Labour’s spokesperson for the environment and housing and if reelected I’d like to focus on these issues, particularly if Labour win control of the council. On housing a Labour council would ensure council housing is retained and more council homes are built, whilst working to increase standards in the private rented sector. On the environment we would set an ambitious target for Southampton to be net-zero in carbon emissions by 2035 bringing us in line with other major cities. We would insulate council stock, contributing to this net zero target and also reducing people’s energy bills.
What is the biggest single issue for Portswood ward?
Portswood is a diverse ward, depending on the area there will be a different ‘top issue’. Issues with HMOs and housing come up frequently as do issues with traffic, state of roads and pavements and the local and wider environment.
What is the biggest single issue for Southampton residents?
A wider issue across the city is the cost of living, particularly re energy prices, housing and food. There are many people struggling to make ends meet at the moment and little support for them from the conservative council.
We’re told in our recent survey that the plans to extend Southampton Airport’s runway is important to local readers. What effect do you think this might have on local residents?
I was on the Southampton planning panel which voted against the airport expansion, unfortunately this was overturned by Eastleigh council. I voted against the expansion, I didn’t feel that the benefits outweighed the negatives to local residents. I live in St Denys and since more jet planes have been flying out of the airport I have really noticed the increase in noise from them compared to the propeller planes that were common previously. This will only get worse with airport expansion, not to mention the climate impacts expansion will have.
Would you like to see any particular changes to Portswood’s district centre?
I enjoy shopping and spending time on Portswood High Street, we have some fantastic small businesses to support. I’d like to ensure a good mix of businesses and although this is written into the current local plan I would like to see a stronger policy in the new one. I would also like more space for people to relax and enjoy the high street.
I am worried that the government’s planned relaxation of permitted development, making it easier for shops to be turned into housing, will harm the high street. This will be a future challenge for us.
Given the information in the recent IPCC report, what should the council be doing to address climate change?
The council need to be taking the lead on the climate crisis despite the lack of action from the Conservative Government. We need to set a bold net zero target for the whole of Southampton for 2035, this would bring us in line with other major cities and would inform all council policies in the future. Things that would help us reach that target include insulating or retrofitting our existing council housing stock as domestic emissions are a big contributor to the climate crisis, this would also ensure that people are able to heat their homes for less.
TWINE, Tony - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
What do you hope to achieve for the ward if you are elected?
Local democracy is in deep crisis. This is because sitting councillors operate as a bi-partisan conduit for the imposition of swingeing central government cuts onto the people of this city. They are wrong to do this. The function of locally elected councillors is to represent the interests of the 99% majority working-class. They should be resisting government austerity measures instead of passing them on as savage public spending cuts to their constituents health and welfare. The current set of councillors did not campaign in the wards to do this and would not have been elected if they had. The result is local government that is unrepresentative, secretive, undemocratic, inaccessible and unaccountable to its electorate. As such these councillors have made a mockery of the historic "Representation of the People Act" and turned the democratic principle "... of the people, by the people, for the people ..." onto its head. What is to be done? Firstly, do not vote them back in. Instead vote for TUSC!
What do you hope to achieve for the city if you are elected?
If elected i, along with other TUSC councillors, will endeavour to transform the aforementioned democratic deficit with immediate effect so that the internal workings and decision making of Southampton city council become laid open, transparent and accessible to city residents - to be challenged as and when necessary. TUSC councillors will divert tax subsidies away from private developments and into public services thus ending secretive commercial contracts and private finance deals that leave council tax payers paying more for less as a result of long-term debts incurred in their name. TUSC councillors will press for an immediate £15 minimum wage for council workers. TUSC councillors will hold monthly surgeries in their wards and civic centre so that constituents can hold us to account and voice their concerns knowing they will be listened to and seriously engaged with.
What is the biggest single issue for Portswood ward?
A long-standing problem in Portswood is the number of HMOS (Houses in Multiple Occupation). Apart from the often neglected appearance of these converted family houses is the fact that many are packed to the rafters with students by unscrupulous landlords.
What is the biggest single issue for Southampton residents?
Today we face massive price hikes, wage stagnation, unemployment and poverty on a scale not seen for 50 years. Southampton needs a "No Cuts People's Budget" that returns £160 million axed from the city by central government over ten years.
We’re told in our recent survey that the plans to extend Southampton Airport’s runway is important to local readers. What effect do you think this might have on local residents?
The proposed extended runway at Southampton Airport will increase flights over the city by 20%. This will increase noise under the flight path, air pollution and more commercial traffic on already congested roads plus deleterious effects on both the natural environment and wildlife habitats. There will be increased carbon footprints in all these areas which runs counter to fundamental climate change objectives. For the vast majority of local people there is no desire for this privatised profiteering scheme as they cannot afford to use it anyway.
Would you like to see any particular changes to Portswood’s district centre?
The entire length of Portswood shopping precinct should be turned into a 10 mph zone for public transport and commercial access only and pedestrianised with cycle lanes. This would stop through traffic and enable shopping in safety for all age groups. It would also greatly reduce the carbon footprint and vehicle exhausts that induce asthma, particularly in children. Empty commercial premises should be reopened at reduced rent & rates both as an incentive to small shopkeepers and to sustain a vibrant Portswood high street.
Given the information in the recent IPCC report, what should the council be doing to address climate change?
Develop an integrated transport strategy that reduces private car use throughout the city and promote car free zones in all shopping precincts. Take the fragmented bus service back into public ownership, promote walking and cycling and repair damaged roads as priority. Stop the expansion of both Southampton Airport and Free-Port. Reduce the 10,000-strong council waiting list with a crash program of social builds for affordable rent, renovate empty housing and insulate to highest environmental standards. Set up an amenity land register to halt private land acquisition.
Thanks once more to all the candidates for taking part. Polls open at 7am on Thursday, May 5, and close at 10pm. The choice is yours!
If you live in Bitterne Park ward, find out about your local election candidates here.