Conservative councillor Edward Smith discusses the issues affecting both his ward and the wider borough

Edward Smith has represented various wards in Enfield since 1998 (credit Enfield Council)

I am one of the three ward councillors in Ridgeway ward in the north of the borough, which includes a large stretch of Green Belt as well as Chase Farm Hospital.

My career at Enfield Council as a Conservative councillor began in 1998 and I have represented various wards since then. Since 2010, the council has had a Labour administration, while the

Conservatives, who have 25 members, have been in opposition. I have enjoyed my time as a councillor very much, even though it has been a bit frustrating to be in opposition and unable to take any real decisions.

Currently, I serve as shadow cabinet member for the parks, leisure, libraries, pensions and property portfolios. My job is to scrutinise policy decisions in these areas as well as to represent my constituents who live in Ridgeway ward.

Residents often complain about planning, environmental and other council-related issues, and my job, along with my colleagues, is to try to help resolve their problems. Over the past two years, several policy decisions in my area have been taken that have important implications for the people of Enfield.

For example, the transfer of our leisure centres to a new provider; putting Millfield Theatre on a sounder financial footing; and installing new management in many of the cafes in our parks. Unfortunately, there are still serious concerns over the reopening of Edmonton Leisure Centre, which has now been closed for many months.

But one of our principal concerns has been the outcry over the proposals in the new Local Plan to build on Green Belt land. This is currently going through its second stage (known as Regulation 19) before being assessed by a government inspector.

The Conservative group has been at the forefront of the opposition to these plans, along with many residents’ groups, to build thousands of homes on the Green Belt and other open spaces. We have also strongly opposed the potential proliferation of tower blocks in our town centres, as proposed in the Local Plan.

Most recently, my colleagues in Ridgeway have worked with local residents to oppose the council’s proposals to provide a large site for Travellers in our ward. We are seeking to convince the council

to find suitable sites for development such as this, not simply sites that are easily available. We will continue to work on behalf of our residents on all these issues.

Edward Smith is a councillor for Ridgeway ward alongside Joanne Laban and Andrew Thorp (all Conservative). If you are a ward resident you can get in touch:
Call 020 8351 1387
Email [email protected]

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