Stafford Borough Council elections – St Michael’s & Stonefield ward

These are the candidates for the Stafford Borough Council election in the St Michael’s & Stonefield ward on 7th May. Of the 11 candidates, THREE will be elected to represent the ward on the borough council.

There are also elections to Stone Town Council on 7th May, as well as the Parliamentary elections.

[divider]

Lynne Bakker-Collier (Conservative)

I intend to be your available listening ear and have already noted the concerns of my electorate. If elected I will do my utmost to resolve your problems. I am currently an active Stafford Borough Councillor.

My family and I arrived at Midfield Nursery & Florist in 1969. My father Hilko Bakker was a Dutch horticulturalist considered to be a pillar of the community and together with my mother managed the nursery. Shortly after purchasing the property I also became a partner. Thankfully I have inherited their moral values, passion for life and a determination to achieve fairness for all members of society. I care deeply about conservation issues, thus for many years I have been a trustee of Downs Banks and Stone Common Plot. It is my personal goal to ensure that both of these venues continue as valuable educational resources which must be nurtured and preserved for future generations.

I am involved in voluntary work across all ages within my community; from children’s holiday clubs to Age Concern Stone & District and nationally with Guide Dogs for the Blind. I am a professional Dog Trainer and Animal Behaviourist. In recent years I have been awarded a National Volunteers award for my innovative leadership of the Stone Guide Dog branch. I am also a speaker and speaker trainer for guide dogs.

I am well known for my determination and capability for seeing projects through to a conclusion. Stone residents are well known for their good judgment it will be an honour for me to serve my community. I ask you to support me on May 7th.

[divider]

Geoff Collier (Conservative)

I have lived in and around Stone Town all my life. I was educated in Stone and have worked in Stone for 50 years. I have run my own business for 40 years and for the last 30 years have been proprietor of Stonefield Garage. I love my town and have had the pleasure and privilege of serving the town as both a Town and Borough Councillor.

Eleven years ago I was privileged to be elected as Stone Town Mayor and together with my wife Cathy we were introduced to all the voluntary organisations and groups in the town. This gave me an opportunity to promote and assist these hard working and dedicated groups of individuals to achieve some of their goals.

As a member of the Planning committee, I have endeavoured to restrain overdevelopment in Stone, although this has sometimes been overruled by National Government Policies. I have been an active member of Stone in Bloom, helping to ensure Stone remains a beautiful place to both live and work.

The new combined St Michael’s & Stonefield Ward has a wide spectrum of residents, High Street and industry which offer me a great opportunity as a councillor. The extra housing which we are forced to accept add great pressure on infrastructure and traffic flow – I will endeavour to find solutions. During my last term I achieved the removal of the Priory Road garages which have been replaced by a social housing unit. I fought for a new aviary in Stonefield Park and for the green recreational area to be retained at Westbridge Park. I hope to carry on my work and achieve much more with your support on May 7th.

[divider]

Joyce Farnham (Conservative)

I have lived in Stone for 58 years with my late husband Dr Barry Farnham and my son Christopher also now a consultant who lives in Kent. I have had the privilege of representing Stone on both the Town and Borough Councils since 1987 having been Mayor twice for the Town and once as Mayor of Stafford Borough.

I am president of Stone Women’s branch of the Royal British Legion and also of the Stroke Club and the Alzheimer’s Club. Additionally I am a past Magistrate with 25 years service and was chairman of Drake Hall Prison board of visitors.

Over the years I hope I have played some part in the furtherance of our Town as a place where everybody wants to live, not least because of the great spirit of community which is so apparent but also in our achievements. I have been a Stone Councillor because I have tried and if elected, will continue to do all within my power to fight for Stone, and my electors; but I will strive to do my best to help any constituent and represent them to the very best of my ability.

May I count on your support as your Conservative candidate.

[divider]

Ian Fordham (Independent)

Ian lives in Stonefield ward, having moved to Stone 18 years ago with his wife and two daughters. He is a retired company director, a trustee of a local charity and active within his local residents’ association. He is a qualified sports coach and continues to work with young children helping them acquire new skills.

Ian believes that Stone is a special place to live and that its location alongside canal, river and parkland and the heritage of its High Street make it unique. He believes that with vision and energy the town can attract investment that would make a real and positive difference to the entire community.

Ian says: “Stone Independents have the ideas and determination to deliver the best for the town. With your advice and support we will do exactly that.”

[divider]

Cathy Gregory (Labour)

I live in Stone with my two daughters aged 9 and 11 who attend Pirehill First School and Walton Priory Middle School. I have been a teacher for 17 years and am an approved foster carer. I have been a member of the Labour Party since I was 16.

There is much to be proud of in Stone; our excellent schools, our beautiful outdoor spaces and vibrant community events. However I would work hard to ensure that there are no further cuts to our youth services and support the development of facilities for young people. I would also fight to ensure that Stone’s infrastructure is developed sufficiently to cope with the amount of new housing in the town. As a working mother, I understand the difficulties many families are facing due to this government’s cuts and I would support and represent those most in need in our ward.

I believe our council should be representative of the community it serves; including people of all ages, gender and background. But I am also committed to the idea that councillors should be fully accountable and answerable to the people that they represent, as well as contactable and visible within their ward.

[divider]

Mark Hatton (Liberal Democrats)

[divider]

Andrew Illsley (UKIP)

Andrew Illsley is also UKIP’s Parliamentary candidate in the 2015 elections. Click HERE to see his pitch on our site.

[divider]

Rob Kenney (Independent)

Rob, aged 48, has lived in Stone all his life. Firstly in the Walton ward then St Michael’s and finally in the Stonefield ward. He and his children attended schools in Stone. He and his wife Bev now run a successful wholesale bakery, employing local people and sourcing local ingredients – he is a great believer in the local economy. Their business often supports local charities, community groups, organisations and fundraising events.

Rob has served as a Stone Town councillor since 2007, was Stone Town Mayor in 2010/11. He has a hands-on approach and is a strong supporter of festivals, markets and community groups. Rob is a member of ‘Stone in Bloom’, has served as chairman and works with a team of volunteers within the community, who ensure Stone is a great place to live, work and visit.

Rob has campaigned with ‘Keep Westbridge Park Green’ to ensure that the green open space on Westbridge Park remains for all to enjoy and use for eternity, resisting a supermarket development. He recognises the need for improved leisure facilities, teenage facilities and children’s play areas and through his role as a Borough councillor he would investigate further funding opportunities.

Rob has considerable knowledge of planning issues, having spent most of his working life in the construction industry overseeing aspects of many large projects such as hospitals and prisons. He would use this knowledge to help residents with local planning issues.

[divider]

Philip Leason (Independent)

Philip is a native of Stone and is married and lives in the Stonefield Ward on the Whitebridge Estate. He is a current Independent Borough Councillor and has also served on Stone Town Council representing at different times both the St. Michael’s and Stonefield wards. His experience has provided him with a thorough knowledge of the wards and the problems which the electorate faces. He has also has served as Town Mayor twice and as Deputy Mayor of Stafford Borough.

Philip is an active member of a number of organisations in the town, most of which are community orientated. He has a keen interest in the history of Stone and writes popular articles on the subject.

He says: “I look forward to serving the people rather than a political party and judging every issue on its merits, not just to support a political doctrine.”

[divider]

Mike Osborne-Town (Labour)

Unlike many of the other candidates, I’m new to politics. I have only recently joined the Labour Party and have never tried to become a councillor before. Although this might seem like a disadvantage to some, I am hoping that I can bring a fresh voice and some new ideas to the Council. I was disappointed to see how few Labour councillors there are currently. I think we need a better balance of opinions on the Council, including from democratic socialists like me.

However, I’m not new to Stone. I’ve lived in the town for almost 30 years and my sons were educated at Alleyne’s. I use all of Stone’s facilities, from Westbridge Sports Centre, to the pubs, shops and restaurants. I use the roads (and get stuck in the town centre and A34 traffic queues). I appreciate the green spaces, the parks, the Common Plot and the Downs Banks. The environment is crucially important to our future. I know it is particularly important to young people and I would want to represent their opinions on “Green” issues, from recycling to pollution. I’ve worked with young people for most of my life, including as a Headteacher of two large secondary schools, and I’m also a governor at two local schools. Having a bit more time now, I want to give something back to the community.

I’m standing for Labour because I believe it’s the party that represents the broadest range of people, from the poor and vulnerable, to the educated and more wealthy. I believe in equality and fairness – 2 values that don’t seem important to the present government. If elected, I will base my contributions on such values.

There are several local issues which I would want to try to influence. One relates to Stone town centre. I would want to do what I could to find ways of getting small businesses into the empty high street shops. I would support the Farmers’ Market, the Food and Drink Festival, Stone in Bloom and the Best Kept Town competition and Stone Festival. I would want to ensure that the town was kept looking attractive, litter free and welcoming. I would support the development of facilities and initiatives for children and young people including sports facilities, playgrounds and youth clubs. Equally I would work for senior citizens. Stone has a significant proportion of its population in this age group and I feel that they are neglected. They make tremendous contributions to Stone, for example through voluntary work, charities and the University of the Third Age (U3A) and they deserve to be listened to. We must make sure all age groups are catered for and equally valued.

Let’s have a Council that represents all groups and opinions and leads to a more compassionate society. That means a few more Labour councillors than we have at the moment.

[divider]

Peter Young (Labour)

I was born and raised in Stone, where I attended Manor Hill Primary, Walton Middle School and Alleyne’s High School. I later studied at Sheffield and Birmingham Universities then qualified as a teacher, working in London for seven years at a large inner-city comprehensive school. Whilst there, I rose to Head of Year, before returning to live in Stone and take a senior teaching post at a Community High School in Newcastle-under-Lyme. I believe the friendly and vibrant nature of Stone community is a great asset and deserves to be maintained and protected against the continual development of housing and loss of amenities.

As a teacher, I have lead a number of initiatives aimed at raising the learning opportunities and career aspirations of young people in the wider area, such as extended schools provision, School Council co-ordination and ‘Gifted and Talented’ activities for both Primary and High School pupils. Also I have experience as both an active school Governor and NUT representative, and have given my time to lead the PTFA and School Council.

I was previously a co-opted Labour Party Stone Town Councillor for the Walton Ward. In my short time as Town Councillor, I have shown my support of the young people of Stone by becoming a representative on a number of Youth projects. I have been an active volunteer in a number of Stone initiatives to promote both increased business and tourism, including both the Stone Food and Drink Festival and the Stone Music Festival, as I believe in promoting Stone as an excellent trading and tourism base, while seeking to restrict unnecessary developments. I am a long standing Co-operative Party member, who supports co-operative initiatives such as shared use facilities and Credit Unions.

I wish not only to represent a fresh new approach, but am also dedicated to improving the facilities and opportunities for all, such as those who feel vulnerable and marginalized, including the young people of Stone, and am committed to this aim.