Biography

Gary Walker has spent most of his career working with the NHS improving effectiveness and believes that under the current Government, the NHS has become "obsessed with targets".

He has worked on various healthcare projects and led the turnaround of many failing NHS trusts. He believes Parliament should have individuals who truly represent the people of Lincoln and not just a party.

Main Issues

Creating Jobs

Cutting taxes for those on the very low incomes.

Support families who have lost their jobs and at risk of repossession by introducing interest free loans for mortgage payments.  It costs more to place people in social housing if they lose their homes and for many people, unemployment is not long term.

Creating a market for environmental goods and providing better financial incentives for ‘green living’ like solar water heaters and loft insulation

Encourage and offer incentives to companies to re-train those out of work and employ local people for local jobs

Immigration

We need to have a green card system in place. But we don’t want to pull up the drawbridge and we certainly want to be able to visit and work in other countries.

Reduce Crime

Improve housing for everyone

Make it a requirement of public bodies to share data on criminals

When someone is found guilty of a serious crime the sentence they are given should be the time they serve. They should only be released early in exceptional cases.

Most prisoners are on much shorter sentences and we need to help them rehabilitate including making as many prisoners as possible work for society’s benefit during their sentence to help give them skills they can use when they leave prison.

NHS

Remove Government from controlling the NHS

Create an NHS management board from the best the health care professions can provide

Reduce the 3,000+ targets on the NHS to just a few quality targets

Remove all Primary Care Trusts (saving £1.2bn) and Strategic Health Authorities (saving £700m)

Transfer NHS commissioning to all County Councils (cost £400m net saving £1.5bn)

Improve the training of Junior Doctors who now spend 50% less time training than they did a decade ago

Local Issues

Supporting Local Businesses

Increase apprenticeships

NI discount for new employees

Install High-Speed Broadband as a priority

Help save Post Offices (esp. rural communities)

Encourage and offer incentives to companies to re-train those out of work and employ local people for local jobs

Transport

The main roads in and out of Lincoln need significant upgrading (not just the potholes)

Parking costs must be reduced to encourage shopping rather than buying online (the parking fee is more than postage and packing on Amazon!)

More parking spaces should be made available (e.g. under the Pelham bridge)

Employers should be encouraged to offer flexible working to reduce the peak demand for services

Car sharing has worked in many towns and countries by not in Lincoln, this needs revisiting