Dave Taylor

Councillor for Fishergate Ward

Dave Taylor works at City Screen, likes cats, Surrealist art, and curry, and has lived in Fishergate Ward for eighteen years with his partner Christine Benney.

"I've tried to do my bit to improve life for people in our part of York and for the city as a whole during this time. I'm not interested in a career in politics or in party-political dogma, but I'd say that the Greens genuinely offer a better vision for the future and ideas to make things better today.

Before working at the City of York Council for seven years, I was an IT Consultant for fifteen years in private industry. My council stint took me into every department and I know how this council really operates! A further five years as Marketing Director of the Inward Investment Board provided me with a breadth of knowledge of York's traditional and emerging industries. I'm most proud of bringing a new attraction to York to occupy St. Antony's Hall when it fell vacant. The Quilt Museum & Gallery there has regenerated the medieval Guildhall and is unique in Europe.

Since being elected to represent people in Fishergate:

• I've promoted higher standards for Councillors and public servants, and battled for officers bullied within the Council.
• I've brought Police and Council officials together to listen to public concerns about anti-social behaviour and get it under control.
• Green councillors negotiated a free home insulation package for householders in York and successfully lobbied for large-scale investment in solar panels to reduce people's energy costs.
• I became the first Green Councillor appointed to chair a Council scrutiny committee - investigating a 'Cultural Quarter' for York, aimed at gaining investment for the city, not creating boundaries.
• Until I was elected to the Council, I was Deputy Clerk of Fishergate Planning Panel and I'm pleased this is again in operation. People living in Fishergate need to have a voice in planning matters when applications before the Planning Committee or just to officers.
• Concerned about local shops and services I worked on the publication Local Shops for Local People. We must use them or lose them.
• As a founder of York Sport & Leisure Campaign, I opposed the loss of sports provision from the city centre. The destruction of the pool and sports facilities at York Barbican Centre was a disgrace. At least the auditorium will now re-open for concerts, run by a competent operator.
• I am proud to have been appointed as York's first Heritage Champion by other Councillors. I've lobbied MPs, Lords and even Royalty in respect of York's historic environment and continually make the case for better conservation and protection for our great city.
• As a life member of York Civic Trust I am convinced that we all have a responsibility to fight to 'Keep York Special'.
• As a core member of the Castle Area Campaign I battled hard to prevent the building of an ugly shopping mall next to Clifford's Tower. We won at that time, but the developers may return for a second try.
• I'm on the Management Committee of The Friends of St. Nicholas Fields, transformed from landfill site to nature reserve.
• The Friends Of New Walk can also count me amongst its membership.
• I am a founder member of York Residents Against Incineration. Burning our waste is a backwards and expensive process, polluting and a hazard to health. We should reduce, re-use, and recycle waste - not burn it at a cost of £1.4 billion.
• I support York Against The War, and have marched and lobbied against the slaughter of innocent Iraqi citizens and the consequent jeopardy to British soldiers and citizens which has ensued.
• With my immensely hard-working colleague, Andy D'Agorne, I've lobbied against the Council's budget cuts. We need more Green Party representatives to push our innovative ideas through to defend people's jobs and save your public services".