Matej Travnicek-Conservative candidate for Elm Park Ward.

The Havering Daily is running a list of the different candidates across Havering in preparation for the local elections on May 5.

Today we meet Matej Travnicek, who is a Conservative Candidate for Elm Park ward.

Hi, everyone. I live with my wife in Yale Way and you might have met me at St. Alban’s Catholic Church on Sunday, or recently on the Elm Park streets where I was delivering my newsletter. 

Some time ago my neighbours and I were facing an issue with tree branches overlapping our gardens. I’ve taken action, managed to put this to the Council’s attention and get things sorted. 

For me, that was the moment when I realised I could make a difference in our area. That is why I accepted the offer to run for local Council.

My number one priority is to fight the ULEZ expansion. We, the Conservatives, are the only ones who can oppose this Labour idea. This is because the H.R.A. will not be able to get their majority without Labour’s support. That’s why if you vote H.R.A. you get Labour. 

The next items on my list are: 1) to continue funding our council-funded, award-winning local police team; 2) to push for a new litter reporting system; 3) to support our high street and local SMEs that are the backbones of our community; 4) a new bus line from Romford to Marrielands Retail Park that would go through Freeborne Gardens stop and Maylands Healthcare. 

And most of all, I want to focus on further improving our green spaces. I love our parks and the garden city character of Elm Park. 

The Council does an amazing job with ongoing upgrades to the Harrow Lodge Park. And I would like to see the northern-most part of Hornchurch Country Park upgraded by fixing the crossing over Ingrebourne and by creating a nice, walkable connection to the RAF Hornchurch Heritage Centre. 

RAF legacy and especially the heroic stand and sacrifices of the pilots and the servicemen supported by the local community need to be remembered and celebrated. (By the way, the RAF Hornchurch was the base of 313 Czechoslovak Squadron during World War 2, and four of my countrymen from that time are resting in peace at St. Andrew’s.)

I moved to England from the Czech Republic because I fell in love with a girl. We used to live in Willesden Green, where we got married. And when it came to buying a house, Havering was an obvious choice since we already knew the area, had friends here, and most of all, we always fancied living in Essex!