Harringay Greens the Ethical choice

Harringay Green Party Candidates: Kerry Smith-Jeffreys/ Tristan Smith/ Matt Cuthbert,
a formidable team for 2014 and on.

There is sixteen years political experience, with five elections between us.

Kerry Smith-Jefferys qualified as a solicitor in actions against the police and refugee law before joining the International Committee of the Red Cross working in Ethiopia and then Colombia. Since then she has worked as the gender adviser at Amnesty International UK, which included a focus on the UK Government’s support for women who face violence while under immigration rules, and Save the Children UK as a humanitarian policy adviser with a focus on conflict situations. In 2012 Kerry joined Plan UK as Head of Advocacy, Campaigns and Research specifically to further impact of their 'Because I am a Girl' campaign in helping to realise the rights of girls globally. Kerry joined the Green Party in 2006 on her return to the UK believing that the Green Party was the only party that was choosing to address the two criticial issues of social injustice and the environment both nationally and locally. She believes this remains true today.

We welcome Tristan Smith to Harringay Greens as a local resident. Tristan is committed to developing the Green Party in Harringay, he works tirelessly with our Green Party MEP Gene Lambert, and is well versed on Green issues nationally, and Europe wide.

Tristan Smith was the Green Party Parliamentary candidate for the Cities of London & Westminster in 2005 and 2010, and a local election candidate in Westminster in 2006, winning 15.5% of the vote in his ward, beating both the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party. Tristan grew up in London, and was educated at Dulwich College and the School of Oriental and African Studies, where he obtained a first-class degree in Social Anthropology, and the SOAS Best Undergraduate Prize. In 2006, Tristan stood in the local elections for the City of Westminster. He won 15.5% of the vote in West End ward - beating candidates from both the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party. He has campaigned to improve the quality of food served in London schools, and is a passionate advocate of locally-sourced food.

I am Matt Cuthbert, I am standing in my local ward for the Green Party. This will be my second election campaign for Harringay. I stood as an independent candidate in 2010, and saw that many of my personal ideals dovetail with the Green Party's philosophy. In the last election I pledged to bring people together in an effort to solve the problems facing Harringay residents. Canvassing provides a great opportunity to meet residents, and understand local issues. I plan to organise a get-together with residents and businesses keen to see our area benefit from a greener hands-on approach by our councillors.

So far I have met environmental scientists, architects and urban designers, who live locally who would be able to join together to help locally.

I have lived in The Gardens, St Ann's and the Ladder, since I first came as a student studying at Central Saint Martins and have made Harringay my home over the last 20 years. I came to London in 1991 Studying Fine Art and Graphic Design, having grown up in rural Australia.

I studied Urban Design at Westminster University and I believe this helps me to understand many of the issues faced by Harringay, looking at crime and safety, traffic calming, access to green space, housing issues and the cost benefits to all of an energy efficient home. Urban Design is about looking at buildings and at the space between buildings and understanding how we use it.

With the recent refurbishment of Green Lanes Harringay, especially the removal of railings, I would like to see a 20mph zone - 'Twenty is Plenty where we live'. There have been three separate deaths from road accidents recently, and I would like to see road safety dealt with immediately. Green Lanes crossings should have Tokyo crossings reflecting how parents cross the road from 8.30am in the morning.

We need another pedestrian crossing on Green Lanes at the Ducketts Common end, allowing West Green residents easier access to this space and better crossing generally. At the moment Green Lanes is a barrier.

The Greek Cypriot Women's Centre on Wightman Road looks neglected. It needs our community to rally round it - it has a big internal space with small rooms around it, it is suitable for child care provision, functions, parties, performances, community meetings, and dancing as it has hosted in the past. We should not lose this resource.

The Harringay Passage is important to residents, providing a pedestrian route for parents on school runs, journeys to work and gets us out of our cars. This should be a safe zone for all of us to use, so I make it a priority to meet with the Friends of Harringay Passage and get involved as a local stakeholder.

A successful high street is a safe high street. Its future relies on us using it, and shopkeepers being responsive to our needs. North Harringay is becoming dynamic because of cheaper rents and leases - a grant scheme should be set up to encourage diversity on our high street.

I volunteer teaching cricket to children, completing our last winter sessions at Heartlands High and have begun assisting with Chance to Shine at North Harringay School. Once I have completed my level 2 Coaching I hope to teach children who don't have access to cricket, open to boys and girls.

Access to sport and green space is important to me, whether it is lawn bowls or as an area for rest. It is crucial for all our wellbeing, especially youths and senior citizens, for balance and social benefits. In difficult economic times our community needs it more than ever.

Swimming is another area I am interested in, I have done three learn-to-swim campaigns as a student, and would like to teach adults to swim as I can see its benefits to long-term health. Masters swimming has been abandoned in Haringey.

I love talking to residents in our community, and this should remain a regular way of staying in touch with local issues, street-by-street, to provide an overview of our ward. I believe we're all in it together.

We deserve a fair council that is responsive and dynamic. We only need to look at best practice. Haringey Council lags behind in providing enough local school places for our children, property maintenance for council tenants, decent homes and poor upkeep of our urban and green spaces, and cycle police as a means to patrol and protect Harringay, with cuts to our parks constabulary.

When we had kids I became the primary carer of our two boys, while my wife continued working as a town planner. Family is central to my life and I want the best for the all children, supporting their needs, and their families.

In a nutshell I'm tenacious, I'm not afraid to try my hand at new things, but will ask for advice. Being a councillor for our area is something I have wanted to do for years and my resolve has not diminished. It's the toughest interview in town. Have your say on May 22: vote Matt Cuthbert, vote Kerry Smith Jefferys, vote Tristan Smith... vote Green.

National polls show the Greens beating the Lib Dems. We can make a difference nationally and locally. Have your say in our future.