WE LIVE in an amazing city, which has the opportunity now to thrive even more in our new post Brexit world.

As a city we have been a trading port since Roman times exporting wool and importing pottery around the world.

Our city has over the centuries welcomed trade, people, culture and ideas to it and continues to thrive today with over 90% of our exports going outside of the EU.

Our rich heritage from medieval times and 20th century means we have much to be proud of and show case to our local citizens, and the world.

Brexit allows us to look beyond the comfort of just our European friends and build new relationships with the world, especially India and other Asian countries who we share a long history of culture and connection to through the Commonwealth.

What Southampton needs to do now is have a long term, bold and ambitious vision of where we want to go as a city, reinvigorating our cities estates in Redbridge, Millbrook, Lordshill, Weston, Thornhill, Swaythling and Harefield, after years of Labour's neglect.

Investing in new affordable housing for our residents, reducing anti-social behaviour, livening up our city centre, bring forward an exciting plan for Mayflower Park to reconnect our city to the water and sorting out our city's roads to help residents and businesses move freely again across out city, by removing Labour's poorly thought out and expensive bus/cycle lanes.

But to do this, we need a change in leadership, the current Labour Council are not up to the job, they lack the vision, belief and understanding of what makes our city so great.

Their endless excuses of "we can't afford that because we have no money from government" or "it's not our fault" are stopping our city from moving forward.

They are fixated on putting barriers in people's way to do things, they'd rather install cycle lanes on the avenue or waste money on projects than get on an get this city on track.

Covid has deeply affected our city, but we have a strong soul and belief in our self, now is the time to Get Southampton Moving Again and only a Conservative Council can do that, its time for new leadership.

Councillor Daniel Fitzhenry

Leader of Conservative Group Southampton City Council