Julie Redmond: A Prescription for Change in Barnet and Camden
Interview with Julie Redmond on 30 November 2023, the Conservative GLA candidate for Barnet and Camden. Redmond shares her motivations and insights for positive change, reflecting on her journey and commitment to community service.
Can you share a specific moment or experience that fuelled your passion for community involvement and public service?
There are numerous things which generated my interest in public service. However, the most important is probably my experience working as a public health nurse during the Covid-19 pandemic, this brought me into close contact with the breadth of the community in our city and made me realise how little was being done to support normal Londoners living their day-to-day lives. I promised myself that something good would come from this experience and that promise has left me here.
How do you propose balancing the need for cleaner air with the concerns of residents and businesses affected by traffic measures?
We just need to face facts; the current solutions are not working but until we have more reliable EV charging infrastructure for electric vehicles we cannot keep pace with future plans, so charging infrastructure should be a priority. We should also be reducing congestion so I will put far more investment into smart traffic management systems to ease flow periods and impose stricter controls on lane closures from construction to assist in the short term while infrastructure catches up.
I will champion the development of cycling infrastructure but in the right places and revisit the cycle lanes that are unfortunately impacting businesses and that can also limit accessibility for people with disabilities. I want to revisit the data for 20mph roads on main roads and dual carriageways. Pedestrian safety is a priority but London is grinding to a halt.
We need to get London moving again!
As a prospective London Assembly member, how do you plan to increase awareness among constituents about the role of the London Assembly and your responsibilities?
I want to supercharge the GLA and encourage greater pride in our city! For too long local government has been the preserve for the old and retired and while I am deeply grateful for their hard work and commitment, London deserves representation from a broader demographic. The GLA is a fundamentally misunderstood body and there needs to be much more awareness about it and its critical role in managing London. I would urge GLA members to work together, I hate the infighting and party politics, only then it will be home to achieve a measure of consensus which will allow us to properly represent our amazing city.
How do you see the role of local authorities and community engagement in tackling complex issues like drug addiction, crime, and homelessness?
I have been working on crime-busting initiatives outreach programmes and homelessness solutions. However, you use the right word when you say complex, the interrelationship between societal problems reaches well beyond the public arena and deep into people’s private lives, families and backgrounds, the best the public sector can do is to try to join the dots between the various organisations and authorities that are trying to manage the problem to make sure the chances of people slipping through the net or reduced.
However, to drive real change is going to take a lot more than simply public sector intervention, we need to protect our families, reinforce their values and get better at looking after our children, if we are to stop sowing the seeds of these ultimately destructive behaviours early on.
You've been involved in community work and have highlighted concerns in Regents Park estates. What specific changes or improvements would you prioritise for these areas?
The Regents Park estates need investment as well as many other areas in Barnet and Camden. We all know local government has a limited budget but such is the pressing need I would be diverting cash from the GLA's sustainability initiatives to urgently improve the quality of housing and increase security and physical policing to control antisocial behaviour and crime too.
Many Londoners live in fear trapped in their homes which is simultaneously damaging their health and until we see some of these basic human needs addressed, I am afraid the loftier ambitions will need to take second place.
Outside of your political and professional life, what are your passions or hobbies?
In truth, my political and charity work is all-consuming, and my work-life balance is pretty poor. When I do get a moment, I spend it with my son and husband. However, I enjoy going to Barry’s Bootcamp at Euston station, the physical activity stimulates many brain chemicals that make me happier and more relaxed. I also love visiting art exhibitions in places like Camden Art Centre and the theatre especially the KILN theatre in Kilburn with friends.
Interview conducted by K Ganzorig
