Candidates announced for Wilmslow Town Council election

by Lisa Reeves

Monday 13^th April 2015

Mon 13^th Apr 2015

The candidates for the forthcoming Wilmslow Town Council election have been announced.

The candidates are:

Wilmslow East Ward

• Keith Chapman, Conservative Party

• Joan Fitzgerald, Conservative Party

• David Jefferay, Residents of Wilmslow

• Fiona McNulty, Conservative Party

• Ruth McNulty, Conservative Party

Number of councillors to be elected is four.

Wilmslow Lacey Green Ward

• Viveene Brooks, Conservative Party

• Dominic Browne, Labour Party

• Jon Kelly, Labour Party

• Bradley Russell, Conservative Party

Number of councillors to be elected is two.

Wilmslow West Ward

• Gary Barton, Conservative Party

• David Cash, Independent

• Christopher Dodson, Conservative Party

• James McCaig, Labour Party

• Angela McPake, Conservative Party

• Keith Purdom, Conservative Party

• Howard Ridley, Labour Party

• Yvonne Warren, Conservative Party

Number of councillors to be elected is five.

Wilmslow Dean Row Ward

This ward uncontested as only four candidates have been nominated and there are four seats for this ward on the Town Council. The new councillors will therefore be:

• Ian Ferguson, Conservative Party

• Frank McCarthy, Conservative Party

• David Pincombe, Conservative Party

• Martin Watkins, Conservative Party

We will publish more information about each of the candidates shortly.

Tags:: Elections 2015, Wilmslow Town Council, Wilmslow Town Council Election

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Gary Barton

Monday 13^th April 2015 at 3:02 pm

I am really proud of the work done by WTC in its first four years. When I speak to residents on the door step, the improvements to the town centre, including the award winning floral displays, community events such as the reindeer parade and the party in the park, and support for local groups such as incredible edible, the Citizens Advice Bureau, and the Wilmslow, have all been very well received.

There is much more work to be done, and I for one will be supporting efforts to bring the kind of work we have done in the Town Centre to areas such as Lindow Parade/Chapel Lane and Davenport Green. I also think that a toilet block in the Carrs near the play area is an idea that the new Town Council should support.

DELETED ACCOUNT

Monday 13^th April 2015 at 3:45 pm

Some individual town councillors have done sterling work representing their areas, but for the most part the town council itself is entirely superfluous to requirements. Its decisions on major planning applications are ignored by cheshire east and whilst it does give out grants - even in this area it is clear that, for the most part, Cheshire East simply filters onto it who they want money to go to - the restaurant in Styal prison, the Citizens Advice being cases in point.

Andrea Barton

Monday 13^th April 2015 at 4:39 pm

From what I have seen the Town Council has done an excellent job of improving Wilmslow. The flowers around the town are magnificent & very well maintained. The new 'Wilmslow' signs look good too. Then there are the Christmas lights & events that are organised. none of that would happen without a group of local people actually getting up & doing something - ie the Town Council, largely with conservative members who work together very effectively as a team.

Tuesday 14^th April 2015 at 1:06 pm

So - Christmas lights, flower beds and some events. None of these represent the exercise of a governmental responsibility. In many places, without a town council, such things are organised by the Rotary, Women's Insititute etc - they are also done for "free". People know this and reciprocate with respect, gratitude and charitable donations.

Tony Hughes

Tuesday 14^th April 2015 at 8:46 pm

Hi Jackie- whilst I understand your sentiment, the reality is that before the Town Council existed very few, if any, of those things happened. There were years of opportunity for other organisations to choose to pick up the baton on these issues and they didn't particularly. As a relative newcomer to Wilmslow, I do believe WTC have enhanced the town- which is part of their function

Christopher Dodson

Tuesday 14^th April 2015 at 9:33 pm

The return of the Citizens Advice Bureau to Wilmslow - which I consider one of the most important achievements of the Town Council to date - was initiated by the Town Council itself and not prompted in any way by Cheshire East.
On planning matters the Town Council does not decide; it merely makes recommendations to Cheshire East. It is true that Cheshire East does not always agree with us - that is probably inevitable where planning is concerned - but I do believe the Town Council has an influence. On Adlington Road, for example, the Town Council argued strongly that a grant of planning permission now would be premature in view of the lack of school places etc and the decision to grant planning permission was only made on the casting vote of the chairman.

David J Pearce

Wednesday 15^th April 2015 at 1:07 pm

Disappointing to see no election in Wilmslow Dean ward, particularly no RoW candidate. Cllr Enstone was of course the first RoW councillor elected to the Council in 2013. Was not aware he had decided to stand down after less than two years.

Barry Buxton

Wednesday 15^th April 2015 at 1:41 pm

I agree with Jackie Pass. We don't need to pay EXTRA Council Tax to support a waffle shop and get floral displays, etc.

Wednesday 15^th April 2015 at 4:24 pm

Chris - "the return of the CAB to Wilmslow". Wilmslow had a designated CAB Wilmslow branch - it was simply sited at Colshaw Farm. Citizens Advice Bureau North operates advice in the old Macclesfield borough, and the CAB operates advice in the rest of the borough. They are two seperate organisations.

Wednesday 15^th April 2015 at 5:43 pm

Quite right Tony. Whilst there are organisations that could have enhanced the town it was WTC who actually DID. I have personally been very impressed by the improved appearance of Wilmslow. WTC has a budget specifically to be used locally & they allocate it to projects which they consider will be of benefit to Wilmslow . A town that looks good attracts more visitors & benefits the local businesses as well as pleasing those who like the town where they live to look good.

Dave Cash

Thursday 16^th April 2015 at 2:47 am

Whilst we may applaud/criticise WTC expenditure of the Precept, how many of the electorate have attended a WTC meeting in last 4 years when a specific item of expenditure was on the Agenda, or even attended any of the 4 Annual Town meetings?
Even less have raised a critical or supportive question during the 15 min Public Participation session allowed at each WTC meeting.
Full Minutes of all meetings to Feb 15, should be on WTC website.

Thursday 16^th April 2015 at 5:45 pm

Dave Cash start by asking yourself how many of the electorate voted in favour of forming the existence of WTC!

Friday 17^th April 2015 at 11:49 am

I come back to the fact that the Town council exercises no governmental powers - all decisions are made at Cheshire East. Even their power is going to change because, in case anyone hasn't noticed, documents issued by Cheshire East now and their interactive map all carry a new logo stating, "In partnership with Chester and Cheshire West" - in other words, the old County of Cheshire.

Pete Taylor

Monday 20^th April 2015 at 5:02 pm

@ Andrea Barton; you must be proud of the achievements of your sons on WTC. It is a shame they showed such a lapse of judgement here: http://bit.ly/1IxN4WJ

That was a really daft idea and was only over-turned when the number of voices against became deafening.