Sonning Common ward: David Bartholomew (Con) *

I SEE myself as a champion of the communities I represent. I make no apologies for saying political allegiances come second at a local level. My wife and I have lived here for more than 30 years and our sons grew up here.

Since being elected as county councillor in 2013, I have attended almost every parish council meeting of the nine parishes in my division. This has kept me very involved in local issues.

At county level, I have served as cabinet member for finance for the last four years. I never forget that the council’s money is your money and I take a cautious and prudent approach to all expenditure.

I have done what I can to support neighbourhood plans in my division. Volunteers work so hard to produce them to control new housing developments and deserve every help to ensure they are respected.

As a Conservative-led council we have done much to help the vulnerable and needy, but I never forget the things that are important to everybody, such as the Oakley Wood recycling centre, which I successfully fought to keep open, and the state of our roads and drains, which I do what I can to improve in the face of budget pressures.

I will continue to speak out against those of an urban mindset who promote growth at all costs and do not understand our village way of life.