JON BRYDGES

Hey there! My name is Jon Brydges and I’d love your votes on 4th May. My wife, our new daughter and I are excited to call Dorchester on Thames our forever home. Over the last 2 years, we’ve been renovating a house at the end of Martins Lane, and we’re dedicated to building our future and family life here in Dorchester.

I recognise that not many people in the village know me yet, so you might be wondering why you should vote for me. Well, I’m eager to address the village's needs such as affordable housing, greater community connections, better amenities for teenagers and young adults, the efficiency and effectiveness of the council, and improved sports and social facilities and I can bring various skills to the council from my working life.

I work in software, and my job is to figure out what we should develop, what brings the greatest value to our users, what is the highest priority, and, most importantly, why we should spend our money developing something.

I have a bias for action in everything I do, I always ensure that I have buy-in for the plan, and I keep people informed and engaged along the way. Every day, I ask tough questions of myself and of others. I consult and collaborate with a broad range of experts, stakeholders, and suppliers to do the right thing at the right time in the right way.

This is similar to the job of a Parish Councillor in many ways. As a councillor, I will focus on getting the greatest value for the greatest number of people in the most cost and time-effective way. I will make sure all voices are heard, not just the loudest one. I want to hear from everyone as subject matter experts on their own lives here in our beautiful village, rather than just the leaders of groups or sectors of the community.  

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I will ensure that you can engage with the council in ways that suit you, be that digitally or face to face. I will demand that the council communicates the ‘working out’ so that people can understand why decisions are made, understand the outcome we are aiming for, and our progress towards our goals.

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I bring digital skills that will enable the Parish Council to engage with our younger residents in ways that suit them. 

I am committed to building a vision for the village, created through consultation and collaboration with you as a village resident. I will work with fellow councillors to create and deliver a strategy for how to get there.

I want us to celebrate all that is good about living in our fantastic village and the achievements of the wonderful people who live here.

I want to thank the existing councillors for their time and service, and I would like to work closely with those who remain to transform the council and make Dorchester on Thames an even better place to live.

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Thank you for reading.