ALFRICK AND LEIGH

NIELS EMMERSON (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

I have lived all my life in Worcestershire, going to school here and doing all the sort of things a young teenager does with my friends. I went on to study for a degree in economics and finance at the University of Surrey in Guildford.

Since graduating a few years ago, I have been working as a financial adviser whilst also studying for the relevant professional qualifications.

I am a keen runner and am very enthusiastic about our nation’s racing heritage.

I live in Leigh, in the ward and know its beauties and challenges well.

KAREN HANKS (CONSERVATIVE)

I am delighted to be standing as your Conservative candidate for Alfrick and Leigh. I have lived in the Malvern Hills and operated my business here for the last 19 years, it has been a superb place to bring up and educate my 3 children.

My aim is that the villages in the ward should not only be beautiful places to live, but places for all to have greater choices and to prosper. Alfrick and Leigh has thriving local enterprise in many sectors, traditional and professional and I will keenly support policies which support these businesses and people working from home.

Many residents I have met have stated the importance of the provision of infrastructure to support new and existing homes. I will support environmentally progressive policies for housing and transportation. I will work to ensure continuity of community transport, rural council facilities and social opportunities.

SARAH ROUSE (INDEPENDENT)

As a resident of Leigh Sinton I have been a district councillor for Alfrick and Leigh for four years and before that I was a parish councillor.

I have worked closely with all four parish councils, engaged with local schools and youth groups and listened to worked hard to address local concerns on a variety of issues.

I have been proactive in tackling speeding, the lack of community facilities, litter, and the lack of community transport in the ward – with a new shopper bus starting soon.

I look to work with all councillors at Malvern Hills District Council to get the best for the district, setting aside party politics.

We must provide affordable homes, create more apprenticeships, support our rural businesses and spend your council tax wisely.

As your Independent local councillor I will be accountable only to residents.

MIKE SAVAGE (UKIP)

I have lived in Suckley since 1983 where I run a computer consultancy company with my wife, Annette.

I joined UKIP in 2007 to campaign against the sell out of 'Our Sovereignty' to the EU.

Locally I want to see an end to indiscriminate housing developments which are spoiling our beautiful countryside forever.

I would also like to see a return to weekly refuse collections and cuts to highly paid council executives - not front line staff and services.

No doubt Brexit will play a big part in the way many people vote and this is now an issue which is all about democracy.

The decision of British people is being ignored by a majority of MPs who think that they must act contrary to our wishes because they know better. This is not only supreme arrogance, but extreme stupidity, which will divide the people of our country for years to come.

MARK STARR (UKIP)

PETER WHATLEY (INDEPENDENT)

Peter has lived in Suckley for 14 years. He worked in both public and private sectors before retiring early to reap the benefit of living in our wonderful area.

A parish councillor since 2011, Peter has consistently supported local businesses and charities. His daughter attended the village school and Dyson Perrins in Malvern. He has intervened actively and effectively on local planning applications, supporting appropriate development, but forcefully resisting schemes that would damage features that make the Malvern Hills so special.

Peter is very much a “hands on” councillor and resident. Peter campaigned successfully for a public war memorial in Suckley and ensured funds were raised to create it. He is very active in his local community. He has worked for the village hall, is a Trustee of two local charities and involved in various other national charities. If he isn’t collecting roadside litter on one of the ward’s regular “Wombles”, he can often be found working as barman at his local pub, The Nelson Inn.

BALDWIN

DANIELLE BENNETT (LIBERAL DEMOCRATS)

I live in the Malvern Hills area and feel passionate about the community and its safety. I work for West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre, supporting families whose children have been sexually abused. I am a professional therapist and counsellor and have specialised in this challenging work for over 20 years.

I have four grown-up children and was a single parent for ten years, but I am now married to Paul. We have 2 dogs and love walking them on the Malvern Hills. We are regular attenders at the Malvern theatre and cinema.

I am standing because I feel strongly that both change and more diverse candidates are needed. I believe in listening to the voices of local people about issues that affects them. Working across Worcestershire, I meet different people with different views and needs, but I feel I am always able to support them and help deliver solutions.

PAM CUMMING (CONSERVATIVES)

Having lived for most of my life in rural Worcestershire, for the past 25 years I have lived in Little Witley with my husband Paul, a Worcester chartered accountant.

After a career in teaching, I now work as a senior A-level examiner and am a community governor at the Chantry School.

I was initially elected to represent the villages of Astley and Dunley, Holt and Shrawley on the district council four years ago and also serve as a parish councillor. This helps me appreciate the importance of working together with our parish councils and the need to ensure that our distance from Malvern is not a barrier to us receiving the best services available.

BROADHEATH

DAVID CHAMBERS (CONSERVATIVE)

It has been my privilege to serve as your District Councillor for the last four years. I have worked closely with our Parish Councils in Lower Broadheath, Broadwas & Cotheridge and Rushwick. Having now met so many of you has helped me to understand your priorities for the Ward as a whole, and I will continue to work to protect and enhance our local communities.

Now retired, much of my working life has been spent in further and higher education, both in the UK, Fiji and in Burma. I am a former magistrate and school governor.

I have been able to represent you at the very heart of the Council for the last four years, as Portfolio Holder for Policy, Deputy Leader, and for the last two years, as Leader of the Council. I very much hope you will allow me to continue to serve you for a further four years.

JED MARSON (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

I am half Maltese and spent much of my childhood there. I came back to the UK in my late teens to work in business, particularly on telecoms and computer issues. I worked for several firms, eventually setting up my own small business which sadly failed amidst the Tory financial crisis of the late 1980s.

I got myself and my family back on our feet and worked again successfully for a few years. We then lived at Shoulton, looking across at Broadheath, where I was instrumental in putting forward solutions to lessen the effect of the major gravel extraction nearby. Sadly the major banking crisis of 2008 (whose consequences affect us all still) brought down many small firms, me included. We now live in Hallow.

I currently work in the motor industry and, for relaxation, help my wife and daughter with their horses.

I have a passion for social justice and want to see more genuinely affordable homes to help our young people stay near their families, plus more local job opportunities to lessen the pollution from transport.

RICHARD MOORE (CONSERVATIVE)

I have lived in Worcestershire for the last 14 years and now live locally within the Broadheath Ward. My wife and I have two wonderful daughters and I work as a Senior Manager for a global online company.

The local community is extremely important to my family and I will ensure that our families and the villages we live in are respected and protected, whilst supporting the wider growth of the district as a whole.

This may be my first election as a local Councillor but with that I bring a fresh and enthusiastic approach to addressing the needs of our community. I will commit to helping families of all ages, supporting schools and developing our community transport to provide much needed support for our more senior residents; making each and every one of us extremely proud to live in such a beautiful part of the world.

TOM TRAVERS (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

After gaining my Maths degree in London, I qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG. After some years in the private sector in the West Midlands, I moved to the Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC) Group, a Government-owned investment bank based in London. I was then posted to West Papua, Indonesia as finance director of a pioneering agricultural development. I subsequently worked for CDC on feasibility studies and monitoring and appraisal of investments mainly in Central Africa and Indonesia. Subsequently, I became Chief Accountant at Save the Children, a major international charity.

I moved to South Worcestershire in 1990 for family reasons with my wife and children and since then have held various finance director posts in the NHS. Over the last decade I have held a mix of paid and voluntary finance posts. I relax by playing tennis and refereeing hockey matches.

As a local resident and user of District council services, I have a good knowledge of local services and of their challenging financial state. I believe I could bring a fresh perspective to finding solutions.

DANIEL WALTON (INDEPENDENT)

I am a local dad, business owner and local school governor. I'm standing to represent residents as opposed to a political party and to ensure that our villages retain their idenentities.

Communities across Broadheath, Broadwas,Cotheridge & Rushwick have faced a huge amount of building over the past few years, whilst seeing local transport eroded, public safety put at risk by unsafe roads and fewer opportunities for young people when it comes to local jobs or opportunities to live in our villages.

I feel that your current councillors aren't listening - bound by what their party tells them to say.

As someone who has set up a successful, international, business and employs local people and as someone who has been active for years in fighting for communities I will be your voice on Malvern Hills District Council. I will fight to retain the identity of our villages.

CHASE

CAROLINE BALDWIN (CONSERVATIVE)

While my husband and I were living and working in London, he took me back to his home county and showed me the beautiful town of Malvern. In 2011, after the birth of our daughter, we couldn’t think of anywhere better to raise our family and made the move to the area we now call home.

Since then, we have become proud parents to three wonderful children who, I believe, are so lucky to be able to grow up in such a rural and distinctive part of the country.

We currently run a holiday let business which we hope to expand in the future and believe the area deserves to be shared with visitors so we can show off all we have to offer and boost the local economy.

The Chase ward, with its stunning backdrop, deserves to have its residents listened to.

I hope to be a part of that and help voice their concerns to protect and promote positive change within the ward for those living here now and for future generations.

SAMANTHA CHARLES (LABOUR)

I have lived in Malvern Chase since 2000 and grew up in the Worcester area. I’ve been a midwife for 25 years. I have four children who all attended local schools.

I am a hard working Chase ward town councillor representing residents on issues such as local services and noise and traffic problems during the building of housing developments.

I will stand up for local residents against yet more luxury housing developments on our green spaces, for improved local transport services, better employment and educational opportunities and to keep our local high street alive.

Malvern Chase is my home and a great place to live and I’d like to ensure it stays that way.

WILLIAM CHAUNDY (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

I was born near Leigh Sinton and brought up in the beautiful Worcestershire countryside, knowing the whole area well. About 15 years ago I moved to Malvern itself and work part time as a carer. I love football, spending time with my friends and visiting my Dad who is now in a care home locally.

I am one of the nearly one in five working age adults with a disability. While this means walking is slow, it does not affect my ability to think, listen to and talk with people.

I believe councils should represent and reflect the wide variety of people in their community and work to ensure all people are valued for what they can bring to society.

KATHY LEATHER (CONSERVATIVE)

I live in the heart of the ward and care deeply about our local community. I have a keen interest in helping with health issues, Tourism and the local economy.

I love being around people and feel that I am very approachable with a logical outlook on life.

If I was fortunate enough to gain a place on the district council, I will do everything in my power to be a voice for the local community.

NEIL MORTON (LABOUR)

I live in Chase ward. Recently retired after over 40 yrs in the construction industry, I enjoy walking the hills with my dogs and volunteer one day a week for St Richard's Hospice. I am a busy Chase Ward town councillor.

I have a keen interest in issues affecting education and have over 12 years experience as a school governor. Continuing cuts to school budgets have a devastating effect on the life chances of our young people.

As a building surveyor I have seen at first hand the critical impact that poor quality housing has on families physical and mental health. The health effects of poor housing disproportionately affect vulnerable people: older people living isolated lives and the young. Children living in poor housing or temporary accommodation are twice as likely to suffer bad health than children in good housing.

I will continue to work hard for the benefit of Chase Ward and Malvern Hills.

JAMES O'DONNELL (CONSERVATIVE)

I am very proud to have represented you on Malvern Hills District Council for the last four years. I’ve lived in Malvern all my life; I am married and have four young children in our local schools.

I feel very strongly about our town, and if re-elected will continue to work hard on your behalf to ensure we maintain the balance between a strong local economy, local development and protecting our unique environment.

JEANETTE SHEEN (UKIP)

JOSIE WILKINSON (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

I served as town and parish councillor for 14 years including membership of district council local strategic partnership, alongside charities and businesses, when younger.

I am qualified to work with young children and, whilst caring for my own young family, I set-up pre-school groups, a women’s refuge and in the 1980s helped set up St. Richards Hospice. I then studied for a post graduate diploma in management studies.

Subsequently I was community advisor with Worcestershire County Council, working to bring together residents and agencies to help them develop their skills, to help stimulate resources which addressed community concerns.

I helped set up the local Citizens Advice Bureau, volunteer centre, community transport and children’s safe play facility along with funding for a qualified worker from Vax Appliances.

Through raising awareness of local churches, primary health, social services, and the police, at my instigation, a church and hall were saved from redundancy, securing a community education centre.

I have also served as a trustee of a mental health charity, church warden of my (previous) Anglican church and have served as the Worcester Diocese social responsibility representative.

PETER WILKINSON (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

Hertfordshire born and Art College trained, I followed a career in graphics and advertising in London then changed course dramatically to join the Police Service, a career change which introduced me to the difficult and dangerous world of serious crime.

My wife and I brought up our family in Worcestershire and moved to Malvern on retirement. This led to another change of life style back into art and onto the stage, appearing as Fagin, Scrooge and Tevye at the Swan and other theatres. With a wealth of experiences of human emotion and bizarre situations I have written thrillers, now published.

Painting regularly has led to exhibitions and being a fully trained graphics artist has allowed me to come to the aid of various groups around the district to help promote their activities.

I am standing for the Council to help ensure Malvern stays a well-cared for and vibrant community where all are welcomed.

DYSON PERRINS

TONY BAKER (CONSERVATIVE)

I have represented Dyson Perrins ward for the last four years, as the only candidate for this ward that actually lives within it, I hope you will support me in my efforts to be re-elected.

I was born in Malvern and following service in the Royal Navy and South Yorkshire Police I returned to the area 20 years ago, I live on the Malvern Vale estate so really am a ‘local’ which in my opinion is important if your representative is going to understand the issues around our home.

My four years in office has flown by, I have really enjoyed getting to grips with issues that people have been concerned about. My work on various committees, health, policing, licensing and planning has given me the opportunity to represent local opinions.

AMELIA EMMERSON (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

I’ve lived in Worcestershire, just outside Malvern for all my life. I attended King's School Worcester, but also enjoyed volunteering at St. Richard’s Hospice bookshop in the town. I am currently studying for a degree in history of art at Bristol University, but can and do get home frequently.

I much enjoy various sports - playing netball and, particularly, hill running on the Malverns.

I strongly believe we should remain in Europe following the 2016 EU referendum. I believe that young people are not getting a fair deal in losing our current right to freedom of movement and the ability to work anywhere across all 27 other EU member states.

CHARLIE EMMERSON (LIBERAL DEMOCRAT)

I’ve lived in Worcestershire all my life, attending school in Worcester and enjoying the great natural environment we live in.

That led me to my current studies – a degree in geography at Exeter University with a focus on climate change and sustainability. This is highly relevant to all our futures and especially to those of us who are younger and will live longer with the increasingly serious consequences of man-made climate change.

I keep very active and particularly enjoy running. I have run several marathons for charity and have just completed the Paris marathon for charity, raising over £2000.

CHRIS REED (GREEN)

I have lived in Malvern for nearly 40 years. I'm married and our kids are at primary school. I work in community development for a local housing association.

I've represented Dyson Perrins ward as one of its councillors since 2015. I've enjoyed meeting people and making a difference through involvement in several committees and groups.

As trustee and vice chairman of Malvern Cube projects, I've been really happy to see opportunities for positive activities for young people in the town, though I know much more could be done with more funding.

I've led a team of volunteers that has set up Malvern Soup, a series of community fundraising events at which people of all ages get to vote for the local cause that they want funds to go to.

Four days before the election, I'll be running the London Marathon (my first marathon) to raise money for Acorns Children's Hospice

JULIE WOOD (GREEN)

Known as Jules to friends and family, I have lived in Malvern for nearly 30 years and feel lucky to live in a beautiful place with such a great community.

I worked in local government for 36 years, most recently leading a team which included economic and community development, tourism, landscape, heritage, trees and planning.

I worked closely with residents, community groups and councillors.

I believe that my background will put me in good stead for becoming a councillor.

I am passionate about the environment and animal welfare and feel strongly that everyone should have access to a decent home, public services; and to trees and open space, which are vital to physical and mental well-being.

I am a volunteer for national and local charities. I have a ‘can do’ attitude and a cheery and optimistic disposition.