OVER the course of the past couple of weeks, one particular theme that has emerged from conversations with candidates is a widespread desire to conduct politics in a more collegial and less adversarial manner.

This sentiment is echoed by Eastcott’s Conservative candidate Drusilla Summers, and she expressed it in the following terms: “Politics sometimes gets in the way of getting things done.”

The Eastcott resident has been a member of the blue party on and off, she said, since her student days.

She knows the ward well and has identified the main issues facing residents. At the top of the list: parking.

“We take it for granted that we can get in our cars and go to work, come back and find a space. It sounds like one of the simplest things to do but in Eastcott, particularly, parking is a nightmare.”

The ward’s motorists regularly find it frustrating that paying for a permit does not necessarily guarantee that they will be able to park.

Earlier this month it was revealed that in just one area off Eastcott Road, Swindon Borough Council sold almost 500 parking permits more than there were parking spaces.

Drusilla recognised how important the issue is for people, but said how hard it was to find a solution.

She also placed great stress on tackling problems with housing. She said that attempts to house more people are always welcome, but it is important to make sure the area is in receipt of the right kind of housing – namely, single-bed flats for people who aren’t on the world’s largest salaries.

In 2017, Drusilla launched her own mental health campaign: Conservatives for Mental Health. It was a bid to improve services across Swindon and to place the issue firmly on the agenda.

It’s a territory she knows well and she is passionate about delivering for vulnerable people.

Speaking about the closure of the Sandalwood Court place of safety, she said: “Although I can understand the logic behind centralising things, I do worry that those who are in that position and need that service have to go somewhere unfamiliar that’s several miles away from home and family.

“It doesn’t foster the right environment for people suffering with mental health problems – we need to fight for these services.”

She acknowledged the difficulty the council faces in having its budget cut by a lack of funds from central government and named adult’s and children’s social care as a massive hurdle.

In solving these problems, she referred to the theme mentioned at the start.

“I think it’s important that we try to involve as many people as possible. A lot of people have great ideas and we need to work with professionals and volunteers from different sectors.”