Clare Louise Searle

I care deeply about protecting what makes Bromley a great place to live and work. Through leading a local charity, working with young people facing mental health challenges, and supporting projects across Bromley, I’ve seen first-hand what matters most to residents. My leadership roles over the past twenty years’ have all been in organisations focused on improving opportunities for individuals regardless of the challenges they face. And my work in Bromley in sustainability and connecting community over the past 7 years has helped me to truly understand that the best local decisions come from listening carefully to residents, recognising the unique needs of each neighbourhood and planning for the long term. People here value their community feel, access to local services, neighbourhood character and green spaces. But many residents are concerned about rising costs, traffic and road safety, pressure on local services, and whether they are getting real value from council decisions. I believe local politics should focus on practical improvements: supporting local centres, making streets safer, creating meaningful opportunities for young people, protecting green spaces, and ensuring that development provides the infrastructure, affordability and sustainability that our community needs. My priorities would include: • Affordable social housing delivered without costing us our biodiversity and important green spaces, and bringing underused/empty property back into use • Ensuring young people get the education they need, with the right support provided for additional needs • Road safety for all, with well-maintained routes and sufficient crossings • Giving better support to, and putting the needs of local small businesses, on the council agenda • Connecting community across ages and social groups, with real chances to learn from, support and share with each other