• HIGHGATE has been my home for 35 years, I’ve raised my family here, and I am a retired teacher and a volunteer with the Highgate Society.

I am so proud of this area and passionate about making it even better.

That is why I am standing as the local Labour candidate in the upcoming by-election on November 30.

I grew up in south Wales in a single-parent family. I saw first-hand how hard it was for a woman bringing up a family on her own.

In 2023, after 13 years of Tory government, too many people are going through similar difficulties now, including in Highgate.

I want to campaign for Camden to continue its expanded free school meals and to help families buy school clothing. We’ll need more ideas like this locally in the years to come to make our community fairer.

I was the first in my family to go to university. I became an active trade unionist and served for many years on the Trades Union Congress National Women’s Committee, which included leading women from many varied backgrounds and industries.

These experiences led me to become a lifelong advocate of equality, of respect for diversity and difference, and of inclusiveness for all members of the community.

We urgently need to protect green spaces for the whole community.

As a member of several local groups concerned to look after the Highgate environment, I want to draw on that experience. I know that small things make a big difference to quality of life in our streets and in our housing estates.

We need to do all we can to enhance and protect vital green spaces such as Waterlow Park, spaces both accessible and inclusive.

Our estates and public spaces need to feel and be safer, particularly for women and girls.

We’ve all noticed an increase of crime and anti-social behaviour in recent years. While I’ll push for action on root causes, we also need more CCTV in crime hotspots and better, proactive, policing trusted to listen to all our local communities.

As a councillor I’ll champion this, for a safer Highgate.

I would be honoured to be elected to represent my neighbours and look forward to speaking to people throughout Dartmouth Park and Highgate during this month about how we can build a fairer, greener, safer community.

TRICIA LEMAN
Labour Candidate for Highgate Ward By-election