Hello, I’m David Osborne, the Lib Dem candidate for Culverden.

I've lived in Culverden for over 35 years, my children were born and brought up here. During that time there have been many changes, but there is still plenty to improve. There needs to be further progress on making our streets safer and pressure placed on the Conservative-controlled Kent County Council to make sure that we get a fair share of the cake when it comes to improving our roads, creating safe cycle routes and filling the potholes.

I am a Freeholder of the Commons and according to the 1739 Rusthall Manor Act I think I am entitled to graze either one cow or two sheep! I am passionate about improving the biodiversity and amenity value of our largest heritage asset and the lungs of the Town. Working with the Common Conservators, I am trying to have a system implemented where developers would have to pay an increased levy. This would allow us to clear a lot of secondary woodland, increasing biodiversity and opening up historic views. I would also like to work with all stakeholders to create a situation where title to the Commons could pass into community ownership for the first time in its 400 year history.

I was also able to speak at the recent planning committee for the old cinema site, and to reflect upon the massive increase in the scale of proposed developments, matched only by the profits of successive developers. Nevertheless, the constraints of previous decisions meant that it was time to move forward and your Lib Dem councillors intend to have an active dialogue with the owners, RVG, to get the best possible outcome for our citizens.

I am proud to support the major strides that the Borough Partnership with the Lib Dems as its largest party has already made in such a short period. I applaud their fiscal prudence even though this means that often hard choices need to be made to balance the books.

My focus for Culverden 

• Revitalised Common - Property developers to fund a drive for improved biodiversity and greater amenity, ownership to be transferred to the citizens.

• A forward-thinking council - Together we can breathe new life into the town centre, encourage investment and support local businesses.

• Safer streets - We need safer streets for our children and I will press for a segregated cycle route into the town centre.

If elected, I will always listen if you have a problem.  And “give it my best” to assist you.

I hope you will vote for me on the 4th May.

Tunbridge Wells Liberal Democrats Local Elections 2023 Manifesto

As the largest party within the Borough Partnership we will work to drive through our manifesto priorities:

Green Plan for the Borough

• Double the number of electric charging points inc. on-street provision.

• Work with Lib Dems at County Council to campaign for the reinstatement of bus routes across the Borough axed by the Conservatives.

• Greening the council: e.g. more air source heat pumps to reduce council carbon footprint to net zero by 2030.

• Make residential roads safer through better cycling & walking provision, 20 mph zones, and trialling low traffic neighbourhoods.

• Deter rat running & speeding. Make cycling & walking more attractive, reduce congestion and air pollution.

Tourism to drive economic development

• Continuing to work with the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to boost our tourism spending for three years driving tourism growth within the Borough by e.g. building new itinerary for coach operators, matching up host families with tourists, and developing cultural packages / historical tours. 

• Promoting TW as Creative Tunbridge Wells – e.g. in ’24 Tunbridge Wells Borough is hosting the Subbuteo World Cup.

• Creating tourism info points throughout the Borough e.g. Cranbrook.

• Create a farmers’ market in the town centre to attract visitors.

Protecting services in a tough economic climate

• Inherited 2022/3 £944k deficit which the Borough Partnership has eliminated due to sound financial management. Services protected.

• 2023/4 budget deficit was £2.6m, now £950k after savings and charges increases. Services protected. The Borough Partnership put £100K towards a Community Support Fund this winter.

• Whilst high inflation and energy costs continue, the deficit cannot be reduced further, but work will continue to reduce it in 2024/5, once inflation abates.

• We will fight to protect the following services no matter what: refuse collection, housing services, protecting the Tunbridge Wells Commons, street sweeping, & cemeteries.

Tunbridge Wells Lib Dems

The Tunbridge Wells Liberal Democrats are an energetic, pro-active and growing local political party.  We are the largest party on the Borough Council.  Together with two other parties and one independent Councillor, we control the Council through the Borough Partnership which was formed in Spring 2022.

Under the leadership of Ben Chapelard, the Borough Partnership has five key objectives

1. Safeguarding finances

2. Vibrant and safer towns and villages

3. Carbon reduction

4. Genuinely affordable housing and social rental housing

5. Digital access, transparency, and local democracy

See HERE for an interview with Ben Chapelard.