Shehla Naqvi describes herself as a community activist who has developed and led services to tackle health and social inequalities in areas of multiple deprivations. She is a founding member of the Angelou Centre, a trained psychotherapist, and a director of people and culture for an independent eye clinic that provides advanced diagnostic eye care for patients across the north east. She says she loves the arts and counter-culture, spending time in her North Highbury allotment, playing chess and cooking for friends. “My home often feels like a pop-up festival food stall at weekends,” she says. We asked her to tell us a little bit more about herself, what she thinks needs fixing in Jesmond and why voters should consider putting an X against her name on Thursday 5th May.

Why run for local election? 

“Because it makes personal sense. Green is about the common good of our communities and society as a whole. I believe the Green Party is the forward-thinking party that goes further than the others to create a vibrant, healthy, and happier society. It is a party with integrity because it places our humanity and relationship with the world at the heart of social policy. I adore Jesmond and have lived here for 20 years now. It’s a community I care about deeply.  The Green vote is not just about protecting green spaces, it’s about protecting our future together.”

What are the main issues you would tackle in Jesmond? 

“Jesmond has a fantastic community spirit and it is not hermetically sealed from the outside world. Climate change is one of the worst environmental hazards facing human society and the rest of the biosphere. The detrimental effects of human-induced global warming so far on human societies and ecosystems are already severe. Future effects over the next few decades will be far worse. It requires environmental and community cooperation. This is happening, but too slowly. Locally, car congestion, over consumerism, inadequate cycling and pedestrian routes plus not enough bus services are all problems. I would engage all stakeholders in our community to fulfill their ideas and build on proposals to improve the quality of our urban space and air. Also, an overdevelopment of housing in our ward is unacceptable and requires tighter regulation. Climate change is an overriding concern, more so because we can’t see it. More than any other party, the Greens are championing this and fiercely holding the city council to account.”

What is your opinion of the Low-Traffic Neighbourhood scheme? 

“A Jesmond neighbourhood designed around people, not cars, is a safer, cleaner, quieter, and more pleasant place to live. Cyclists are more likely to visit local shops and spend money in their neighbourhoods instead of out-of-town supermarkets, thus creating more jobs and contributing to the local economy. Cycles don’t emit CO2 or nitrogen dioxide from diesel emissions, or carbon monoxide. Being able to cycle and walk enables people to live an active life, reducing the burden on the NHS from problems like obesity and heart disease.

The Greens advocate integrated policies. We are “pro” sustainability to promote cycling, walking, and public transport, pro people before vehicles, pro people-powered vehicles before other vehicles, pro public vehicles before private vehicles. In Stockholm – the top green-transport city in Europe – 75% of vehicles on the public transportation network run on renewable fuels. Feet are zero-pollution transportation machines. Residents and users of Acorn Road, deserve an environment with cleaner air, which is less congested, with reduced CO2 emissions. Local people deserve an altogether much more pleasant experience than the one we have right now.”

How would you combat anti-social behaviour? 

“We need positive and incentivising contractual social and environmental schemes between landlords, estate agents, and universities to tackle anti-social behaviour. We cannot blame students, per se. I would work closely with university student environmental officers and help implement the student charter and publicise good work. This is already happening in Jesmond and needs support from all parties. Jesmond has more than 64 community groups or initiatives for residents – a thriving infrastructure that needs to bring people together intergenerationally. I would also advocate our local bars sign up for a code of practice or a league table – governed by residents. We also need to create more contact opportunities. How many people are politically engaged in North Jesmond? We need to create opportunities before issues become conflictual. Councillors can do much more to help create dialogue, to listen, and learn.”

How would you bridge the gap between local and student residents? 

Students are an asset to Jesmond. We can work with the universities more closely to promote information, talks and events not just at the library but in our local cafes and at hotel venues that are more commonly used for hosting stag parties. I would love to see visiting schemes for our elders and green space initiatives. The Jesmond Community Festival, pre-pandemic, was a wonderful medium to bring people together. Affordable housing is a real issue. Jesmond has a thriving community infrastructure to help bring people together inter-generationally. Being green is about believing in localism and community engagement to help each other to improve our environment and well-being. How many of us know who our neighbours are?  Half the Jesmond population is in their early twenties but we also have an aging population who have made great contributions to the fabric of Jesmond society. Yes, we need to encourage families back to Jesmond but we also need to support high-quality residences for students closer to town. I know students are active in the community and their work should be publicised. My young cousin in Bristol says The GoodGym is brilliant, a place where groups of runners combine their workouts with household deliveries to elderly or isolated people, they clear rubbish, clean and in fact do anything that’s physical and benefits the community. We can take fitness out of the gym and do some good. Creating a community layer on the North Jesmond map means we can bring people together to enrich the map with their own content. The Council for Elders is already doing this.”

What would you do to improve the environment in Jesmond? 

What we need is an integrated vision of the future, making journeys easier on foot, by bike or public transport, and harder by car. There’s always a backlash from those who see no option but to drive but this shouldn’t be seen as a battle between cyclists and motorists, or pitting pedestrians against those on bikes. Also, we must support independent traders. They create more jobs and circulate more money – by giving work to other local traders, and paying people who live and spend locally – than larger, chain businesses. We need other ways also to assist independent traders with local loyalty card schemes, marketing/ and promotion initiatives, and street events, better council procurement policies, to help them engage with local residents in an economically and environmentally supportive way. The Greens can help and actively support business footfall by improving access routes to business hubs such as Acorn Road. We need to encourage people to cycle and walk in a pleasant environment with clean air. Both businesses and consumers can profit. I would introduce a league table of business contributions to the community, and support local initiatives with energy generation and healthy living initiatives, from air quality to local food production.