Orpington is a great place to live and work - that’s why so many families want to move here. From the many people who have given me such a warm welcome, it is clear to me that residents want me to focus on three big issues.

More Police to stamp out anti social behaviour
My top priority will be to tackle the anti-social behaviour that is making so many people’s lives a misery. We should not have to put up with yobbish and inconsiderate behaviour and I applaud those who stand up against it.
Bromley Borough Police Commander Charles Griggs and his officers are doing a terrific job. But the police are stretched to breaking point. Getting more police on the beat - and fighting for more money from the police budget for the area will be a priority for me.


The Economy
The second issue is the local economy. I support the Council’s plan to revive the High Street. The closure of M&S and other shops has left consumers with less choice and weakened Orpington’s competitive position as a place to shop compared to other areas. That the High Street has had the stuffing knocked out of it is not surprising. In my 12 years working at the Financial Times, during which I have reported from over 25 countries, I have never seen a major economy in such a terrible state as ours is now. The Labour government has trashed the economy. The UK was the first OECD country into recession and we wil be the last out of it. We have the public finances of a banana republic, with a budget deficit of over 12 per cent of gross domestic product, the worst ever recorded in peacetime. We are in danger of losing our coveted AAA credit rating as our public debt has nearly doubled in the space of a year, to 80 per cent of gross domestic product.

Garden Grabbing
My third priority will be to protect Orpington’s green and leafy areas from overdevelopment. We must never lose sight of the fact that this area is unique. It takes the best of Kent and the best of London: it marries the Kentish quality of life and wonderful countryside of the north Downs with the convenience that comes from close proximity to the commercial opportunities of central London. The best of both worlds must not become the worst of both by turning into suburban sprawl.
I will fight to protect the green belt from arbitrary housing targets imposed by central government. Bromley, like other outer London boroughs, bears an unfair share of the burden. I will also put a stop to the relentless development of back gardens. Garden grabbing, which sees property developers snap up large detached houses, knock them down and then squeeze a small estate of new homes onto the same plot, is out of control in Orpington.

Ensuring good local NHS services
The South London Healthcare Trust has one of the largest debts in the country. But we must make sure that any organisational changes are made with patients' needs in mind first and foremost. The new Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley has required a full review of the proposed reconfiguration of NHS services in our area as presented in the A Picture of Health. This review must apply four criteria to the reconfiguration, which has now been suspended:

• Support from GP commissioners will be essential;
• Arrangements for public and patient engagement, including local authorities should be further strengthened;
• There should be greater clarity about the clinical evidence base underpinning proposals;
• Proposals should take into account the need to develop and support patient choice.

Campaigning for a better deal for Orpington's commuters
I am a regular user of train services in the Orpington constituency and understand how critical it is that hard-working commuters have a smooth journey to and from work every day. I will fight for fast trains that stop at Orpington during peak hours. This will help address the overcrowding that we all dislike. I will also push for real terms fare freezes. There is no justification for increases above the rate of inflation. I will also campaign for stations to be staffed at all times, with ticket offices open for longer. We need larger station car parks at Orpington and St.Mary Cray stations; disabled access at Petts Wood and St Mary Cray, to help not only the mobility-impared, but also those with buggies and luggage; and more sensitivity to the needs of people with limited mobility at Chelsfield and Knockholt.

Making sure that Biggin Hill Airport sticks to the terms of its lease
I am opposed to any untrammelled expansion of Biggin Hill Airport: that means I am in favour of restricted hours of operation and a strict legal cap on flight movements. I do not want a Luton or a Gatwick springing up in an area that has such a concentration of residential housing in the vicinity.
At the same time, I am also determined to ensure that Biggin Hill airport, which has been around since the dawn of aviation itself, remains an important contributor to employment in the area, has a viable economic future and is able to contribute meaningfully to the tax base of the local economy.