Welsh Labour Party Candidate Anny Anderson is quick to brush off accusations of nepotism but says that she does want to carry on her mother’s legacy.
The Welsh Labour Party candidate in the Splott by-election has said that she doesn’t want to be judged by her mother’s record.
Anny Anderson is standing as a potential councillor for Splott in an election that was called following the death of her mother Jane Henshaw. She is quick to brush off accusations of nepotism but says that she does want to carry on her mother’s legacy.
“When I’m knocking on people’s doors, we’re getting really nice comments and good feedback,” says Anny. “And lots of nice comments about my mum as well. So, I’ve heard a lot of good things but that’s pretty much not the only reason why I’m doing this because that wouldn’t be enough of a reason but yes, I’m very much inspired to carry on my mum’s legacy.”
During an interview last week, Ms. Anderson highlighted her priorities of improving housing quality and increasing public transport options for Splott and Tremorfa. “What I want to focus on is the hidden work that’s not seen on social media or publicly. It’s the case work for families and residents of Splott, helping them with their individual needs and that’s the work that’s not seen but it’s really vital and its largely around housing and cost of living.”
Ms. Anderson aims to leverage her professional experience in housing to her campaign. “It’s about quantity of housing for families, and the quality of housing for families… Issues around inequality of housing. And I have 20 years’ experience working in housing. So, I want to bring that experience to support residents of spot by increasing their quality of functions”
A long-time advocate for community engagement, Ms. Anderson has been involved in the ‘Keep Splott Tidy’ campaign for over seven years. She stressed: “People want someone who is active and engaged in the community. There needs to be more education around proper waste disposal. There are a lot of street litter bins in Splott, there’s no reason for waste to be on streets.”
Regarding potholes, she acknowledged the Labour Government’s promise of additional council funding but noted that Splott and Tremorfa’s share is not yet clear.
Ms. Anderson supports a proposal for a battery plant project in Splott. “They’ve obviously received from planning Commission, through the proper channels, I would rather see a battery warehouse than an incinerator,” she said. “it’s absolutely fantastic that we have been able to manage avoid having an incinerator and have a battery which is going to bring in several jobs in the area.”
Addressing safety concerns in Splott Ms. Anderson said, “What we need to address is the root cause and yes, things like additional lighting would be very welcomed in the Parks. Obviously, we like more resources for the police…the cutbacks that it’s [police] had over the last 14 years, there’s been a huge decrease in the number of police available.”