The candidates for the upcoming Cheshire East Council (CEC) & Wilmslow Town Council (WTC) Elections, representing Wilmslow Dean Row Ward, have been announced. Lata Anderson has decided to stand for election to both.
Residents in the Wilmslow Dean Row Ward will have the choice of three candidates to fill one seat on CEC and six candidates to fill four seats on WTC when they go to the polls on on Thursday, 4th May.
The candidates standing to represent Wilmslow Dean Row on CEC are:
- Illingworth, Jack Richard - The Conservative Party Candidate
- Anderson, Lata - Residents of Wilmslow *
- Walker, Olivia - Liberal Democrats
The candidates standing to represent Wilmslow Dean Row on WTC are:
- Lata Anderson * - Residents of Wilmslow
- Dion Cross - Residents of Wilmslow
- Jack Illingworth * - Local Conservatives
- Ellie Jackson - Residents of Wilmslow
- Jon Newell * - Residents of Wilmslow
- Angela Smethurst - Local Conservatives
I will publish brief interviews with each of the candidates, in the order in which I receive a response to my request. Use the tags below to locate the other candidate interviews published to date.
Please tell me about yourself - occupation, how long you have lived in Wilmslow, interests, family?
I have lived in Summerfields, in the heart of Dean Row, for over 25 years. I love the area and living in a great community. My son was a pupil at Wilmslow High, but has now flown the nest, but he visits his mum regularly!
I work in IT for a well-known bank. I enjoy walking and cycling (though still a little wobbly). I love trips to the theatre, and listening to live music.
Are you a member of any local groups or societies?
I am currently a Councillor on Wilmslow Town Council and I am a member of the Community & Order, and the Finance Committees.
I am also a Cheshire East Councillor and a member of Children & Families, Scrutiny and General Sub appeals Committees.
My attendance record on both has been excellent, only missing meetings when I had Covid.
I am on the Committee of Wilmslow Civic Trust and a trustee for Transition Wilmslow (TW). Additionally, I'm on the committee for Wilmslow Community Market Garden (part of TW), where people of all ages can learn to grow food together. We do donate a lot of the food we grow to the community café in Oakenclough Children's Centre and the local food bank. (small plug for our "Open Day at Oakenclough Children's Centre" for the 'Big Help Out' on Monday 8th May. Please come and see what we grow and how you can be involved).
Why have you decided to stand for re-election as a Borough councillor?
I'm standing for re-election as there is still so much to do. In the last 19 months as a CE Councillor, I have engaged with many residents to work on initiatives to improve the area. Residents from Dean Row have contacted me on a number of issues including planning applications, overgrown trees, pot holes, playgrounds and many other things. And my record has been good, I am always responsive and will answer emails and phone calls.
In the committees, I supported the new School for children with special needs in Dean Row. I supported the introduction of a new system to enable some families to stay together to prevent the children going into care. I asked for a review of school transport to find more cost-effective solutions for providing safe travel for children.
I, along with Cllr Suzie Aker Smith proposed and got approval from Cheshire East Council for schools to apply for Safe school streets. This will make it safer for children to walk to school.
I believe, when the Local plan is reviewed, it should be done by Councillors who do not have to obey a national political party. I have seen how party politics dictate how people vote in Council meetings. As a Resident of Wilmslow Councillor, I am free to vote how I choose, ensuring I vote for what is best for Wilmslow.
Why have you decided to stand for re-election as a Wilmslow Town councillor?
In my 4 years as a Town Councillor, I have made a difference to Wilmslow. I worked hard to persuade The Town Council to recruit a Communications officer, to make the work of the Town Council much more visible, through an updated website, Facebook and twice-yearly newsletter. I put forward ideas for events for the Jubilee celebrations, the Kings Proclamation, Kings Coronation, Ukrainian drop in café, the Christmas Ice Rink, free family \ group bus passes over half term. There is much more to do, and I hope with more RoW Councillors on the Town Council, we can achieve much more.
What do you consider to be the important issues facing Wilmslow?
Wilmslow has many good qualities, there are excellent schools, great green spaces and fantastic communities. There are areas for improvement and these include improving the Town Centre, rejuvenating some children's play areas and providing activities for teenagers to help with their physical and mental health. The MUGA (multi-use games area) on Browns Lane has been great and is widely used by teenagers, but we need more like that.
In the coming years, the Local plan will be reviewed. It is vital we do not allow any more of the Green belt be lost to development. As a Resident of Wilmslow Councillor, I will not be constrained by National party politics, I will be free to do what is best for Wilmslow, and I believe that is to protect and enhance our green spaces and wonderful biodiversity; enabling the economic growth of Wilmslow in a sustainable way, without destroying our environment.
What do you hope to achieve and how in the next 4 years?
If I am re-elected, I hope to engage more people and for people to feel more involved with local events, issues and the community.
I want to complete the revamp of the Villas playground, improve the maintenance of the green spaces on Summerfields, make welcome the new communities in Bollin Park and Heathfield Farm, revitalise and publicise the BMX track in Colshaw Farm and support existing communities elsewhere in Dean Row. Some areas within Dean Row have asked for speed reviews, I will be engaging with those communities to support a full consultation. There is also a small amount of S106 money to improve biodiversity, so I will be asking for suggesting of areas to be considered.
I want to improve public transport, walking paths and cycle routes. The bus service we have, needs to be more frequent, start earlier and finish later. Public transport needs to support us getting to work and bringing us home. Walking paths and Cycles routes need to be safe for our children and grandchildren to use, and for us not to worry about them crossing roads to get to school.
I would work for, the Town Council to regularly recognise people in Wilmslow who either volunteer their time to help others or improve their communities or other good deeds.
What experience and personal qualities will you bring to the role?
In my professional life, working in IT for Pharmaceuticals and Finance, I have gained a wealth of skills including patience, delivering large projects, on time and within budget and managing a wide variety of stakeholders.
My time as a Councillor has shown that I do deliver despite being in a minority group. I come up with ideas and passionately work hard to help people.
Why should Wilmslow residents vote for you?
I have no national agenda or political ideology to follow. As an independent, I am never told how to vote on CEC or Wilmslow Town Council matters. My only concern is "What is best for Wilmslow" and its residents.
Independent Councillors have brought a positive change to Cheshire East Council after the past bad press. New Governance has been put in place and there is higher levels of transparency so residents can see how Council decisions are made. This is a big turnaround in just 4 years.
If re-elected, I will continue to be available to help and be proactive in fixing existing and new issues. I am already working for Dean Row Road to be resurfaced and to increase the gritting bins in the area. I am also working on the pedestrian and cycle paths along Dean Row Road to be cleaned up and repainted this year.
I will be honest and transparent with what can be delivered and when, I will not promise something that is out of my control, but where I can help or make a difference, I will do so.
*current councillor.
