An election will take place later this month to fill a vacancy on Wilmslow Town Council.
The election will be held on Thursday 27th March for one Town Councillor to represent the Lacey Green Ward on Wilmslow Town Council, following the resignation of Trevor Jones in January.
There are two candidates: Viveene Brooks, the Conservative Party candidate, and Stuart Redgard, an independent candidate.
Viveene Brooks has lived in the Lacey Green area of town for 25 years and works full time in the care of elderly and vulnerable people.
She told wilmslow.co.uk "I am so pleased to be given this opportunity to campaign to represent my neighbours in the Wilmslow Lacey Green ward for the Town Council."
Viveene added "I know this area and I love this area. I have been active in any one of a number of local initiatives including neighbourhood watch – of which I am still the local co-coordinator.
"I am really looking forward to the possibility of working with Cllrs Don Stockton and Ellie Brooks (no relation) on the current and future plans for the area.
"We desperately need measures to slow traffic speeds to the legal limit on Styal Road and Stanneylands Road. We need other solutions to the problems of commuter parking in areas where this is obstructive or actively dangerous. Don has done much to improve the condition of the roads but I will press for more to be done.
"Don and Ellie have joined with residents to renovate the Pavilion and bring regular football games to the adjacent pitches. I can't wait to help them so we can use our combined expertise and contacts to seek grant funding to install new kitchens in the Pavilion.
"As a long term resident I am confident that with my local knowledge I am best placed to represent my neighbours to make the improvements we all want in our ward. I ask you for your vote and I pledge to give you my experience, energy, enthusiasm and commitment."
Stuart Redgard is originally from Yorkshire and moved to Wilmslow in 1994 when the lack of work in London forced a relocation to Manchester. Stuart doesn't currently work due a long term disability but by profession he is a Chartered Electrical Engineer in the design and consultancy sector.
Speaking about why he is standing for election, Stuart told wilmslow.co.uk "Principally because I think the democratic process is vitally important. In my opinion people have the right to choose who they have representing their interests.
"I have been attending council meetings for about two years to witness the process of democracy first hand. Without an election, the existing councillors could have co-opted anybody who lives or works in Wilmslow onto the council to fill the vacant seat.
"I think this is fundamentally wrong. I have never been and never intend to join any political party. I agree and disagree with policies of all three mainstream parties."
The polling hours for the election on Thursday 27th March will be from 7am to 10pm.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
All it needs now if for the residents of that ward to get out there and do the right thing.
We do not want an uninterrupted line of conservatives straight to Downing St.
Phil Enstone a recently elected RoW councillor regularly demonstrates a sensible alternate view to conservative recommendations and we are all the better for it.
We now know from bitter experience about how democracy in CEC doesn't work. A core strategy with thousands of objections including WTC were ignored because of top down instructions. We count for little, except to pay our council tax. Do I feel disenfranchised? You're damn right that I do!
Its a pity Martin Bell isn't also standing in the 2015 election.....Im sure he would have a runaway success again !!
So good luck to both candidates !
No doubt the Cons candidate can rely on the local Cons Party to help with campaigning in Lacey Green in the next 3 weeks, but Independent candidates do not have a similar Party structure for support, so I am sure he would welcome assistance from any one prepared to leaflet some of the roads & 3,500 electors in the Ward.
The problem is The Conservative Party and its overwhelming majority, currently 14 to 1, on Wilmslow Town Council. Electing yet another member of the vote fodder brigade would be have the effect of being anti-democratic.
Having recently witnessed the charade of democracy, as demonstrated at the Special Council Meeting when all the Conservatives present voted en masse for the flawed Core Local Plan, I can only say I was appalled by this open show of headless chickens voting along the party's line. The views of local voters, as expressed time and again during the pseudo "public consultation" on the very issue, were completely ignored as irrelevant as they ran counter to the Party's desire.
This anti democratic stance in local government circles is not confined to the Conservatives; the very same happens in councils controlled by a political majority, be it Labour, Lib Dem or Conservatives.
It is therefore imperative that those of us who believe in real democratic values, to ensure we have enough independent candidates at next year's councils' elections.
Meanwhile, I hope, for the sake of local democracy, that the Independent candidate at Lacey Green, Stuart Redgard, triumphs. He would add to the RoWs independent councillor's, Philip Enstone, lone foray on WTC.
What a wonderful time it was when we had Martin Bell representing us in Parliament.
Stuart lives 650 yds outside the Ward boundary, but within the WTC ares.
Local town/parish election rules allow candidates to live within 3 direct ml of Ward boundary so most Wilmslow,Handforth, Woodford & Ald Edge residents are eligible to stand for WTC wards. Indeed I believe an ex Handforth village Cons Cllr and Wilmslow resident now sits on WTC as a Cllr for Wilmlsow East.
The increase in postal votes (approx. 70% of votes cast) and postal return dates, has effectively reduced the campaign period, compared to non-postal ot rvoters who attend the polling station on election day.
As I understand it, postal votes can be handed in to your polling station on election day and they will be counted, so do not return your postal vote until you have assessed the merits of the candidates from their published material.
Viveene Brooks, the Conservative Party candidate, = 453 votes
Stuart Redgard, independent candidate = 287 votes
Void = 4
Turnout - 21.23%.
Commiserations Stuart, please keep up your 'social sensibility' and 'common sense' community reporting.