Ahead of local elections on May 5th, and our Vote Jesmond 2016 elections hustings event on May 3rd, JesmondLocal is profiling each of the 10 candidates for councillor in North and South Jesmond. Continuing our five days of profiles, the United Kingdom Independence Party.

Editor’s note: JesmondLocal asked every candidate standing for election the same series of questions on several topics, and requested an interview to discuss these questions, and to produce a short introductory summary about their current career, interests and history with politics. Mark Lewis chose not to answer the specific questions put to him, but provided this statement, which has been reproduced in full and without alteration.

Mark Lewis is 42 and works as a Commissioning Engineer in the oil and gas industry. Mark feels very strongly that the people of North Jesmond, and Newcastle generally, have been badly served by the Labour-dominated Newcastle Council.

Mark is particularly angry at the way the council has slashed many of the services on which the elderly and vulnerable rely. Cuts have to be made, but not to those most in need of our protection – the millions being squandered on refurbishing the Civic Centre should be targeted for cuts instead.

The city’s roads are increasingly difficult to drive around – with more bus lanes and yellow lines, and the council fining motorists as a way of boosting their income. UKIP will review all bus lanes and would scrap most of them, and at the same time do away with yellow lines where there is no pressing need for them.

In North Jesmond Mark would champion our small businesses – the hoteliers, shopkeepers, restaurateurs and others who keep our city going. Too often, instead of supporting them, the council make life difficult for small businesses – whether in slapping down unnecessary yellow lines, or fining them for trivial offences.

If elected, Mark would listen to the people of the ward and serve them to the best of his ability, knowing that UKIP councillors do not have to follow a party whip in local government and can put the people of the ward ahead of any party considerations

(introduction and interview by Al Hall)

Despite repeated requests for interview, James Askwith has not yet made himself available to JesmondLocal.

(introduction and interview by Al Hall)