Aylesbury Labour party announce candidates for Buckinghamshire Council Unitary Elections

So the Bucks Herald are putting together a handy guide of all the candidates who will be representing you.

Liz Hind

Liz Hind stood for Labour in Aylesbury in the 2019 general election and came second.

She is a passionate campaigner in education, having worked for the British Science Association on projects to encourage kids to enter careers in the sciences, engineering and mathematics.

During the pandemic, she worked with local food charities and provided free meals for kids during half term and cooked meals for the homeless.

She understands first-hand the effects of restrictions on businesses and the problems we had communicating with the Council.

She spoke to local businesses and wrote briefings on the local support needed to enable businesses to recover.

Once restrictions are lifted, businesses in affected sectors will need to work together to enable a strong recovery. Liz is ideally placed to enable sectors and council services to work together to build a thriving town centre that residents will want to visit.

Dominic Rothwell

Dominic Rothwell works in Civil Aviation and represents thousands of workers across the South East on Unite's Executive Council. He has been a lifelong campaigner on workers' rights, social justice issues, equalities and protecting our environment.

Dominic passionately believes Aylesbury residents deserve a better deal. For too long, the local community has been under-represented and poorly served. We've seen a massive deterioration in local services, which has disproportionately affected the most vulnerable in our society. At the same time, council tax has risen year after year, with little to show for it.

If elected, Dominic will be a strong voice on the issues that matter to you. Issues that have a real and lasting impact on your quality of life, whether that be public transport, infrastructure, affordable housing, social care, children's services, public services or our environment.

Philip Jaques

Philip is a local resident and has lived in Aylesbury, and the Aylesbury North ward for over 20 years, where he's raised his family whilst working in the NHS.

Philip moved to Aylesbury when his wife was appointed to teach locally. His children were born in Stoke Mandeville Hospital and went to both secondary modern and grammar schools.

Philip has put down strong roots in Aylesbury and is actively involved in the community. He has campaigned on issues such as protecting the NHS, local planning and education cuts. Philip is standing as councillor to offer alternatives to help Aylesbury grow and work for the community with ideas that have been tried tested and worked in other towns and cities.

Aylesbury North West Candidates

Dr Charles Todd

Charles lives in Aylesbury and has worked locally as a GP since 2005. Charles's experiences have shown him that many local people are being left behind, and we need a council that places the welfare of all its citizens at the centre of what it does.

If elected, Charles will argue for strengthened children's services, adequate housing and good social care provision for older and disabled people. Large numbers of local people have shown their willingness to volunteer to help in response to the pandemic. Charles believes that this spirit needs to be developed by our Council to support local services and strengthen communities.

Aylesbury is earmarked for huge housing growth. Charles is strongly committed to ensuring that the impact on the quality of life of residents, and on the environment, is at the centre of planning decisions about all local developments.

Michelle Pointer

Michelle has lived in Buckinghamshire for most of her life, and in Aylesbury for the last 25 years – 13 of those years in Aylesbury North West.

Michelle has been horrified to watch Buckinghamshire Council's decimation of children and families' services over the last decade. When Michelle's children were young, the local Children's Centre was an absolute Godsend for her. The idea that families no longer have local access to these services is so sad and wrong! Not to mention the gradual phase-out of home to school transport for children with additional needs!

Michelle would like to be a voice for the families and working people of Aylesbury that have been ignored for so long. If elected to Council, Michelle will be a voice for these people, holding the Council to account for the decisions they make, and standing up for the working people and families of Aylesbury.

Andy Blackaby-Iles

Andy is a former music student who has lived in Aylesbury for the last five years.

He is passionate about protecting our NHS, as well as seeing public services and small businesses properly supported to help them come back stronger following the pandemic.

As someone who grew up in a single-parent household, Andy is running to represent the needs of workers and families in Aylesbury North West who have seen their public services slashed over the last five years.

As a member of staff at a high street bank, Andy has seen the effects of the pandemic on a personal level and is determined to get involved and represent his area.

Aylesbury South West Candidates

Ajaz Arif

Ajaz Arif is a local resident living in the Aylesbury South West Area. Ajaz is passionate about our local area, and his children attend the local school. Ajaz is a registered volunteer with Buckinghamshire Council and has been helping the vulnerable throughout this pandemic. He is also one of the trustees for a charity in Aylesbury.

Ajaz is standing as a local councillor to raise a strong voice for Aylesbury residents and hold the local authority accountable for underfunding the school's children's centres.

Ajaz will speak about the local roads which have recently been closed by the local authority. He will make sure to speak about the cleaning of the local streets, playing fields and parks for the entire community's benefit.

Lewis Hodgetts

As a local resident, Lewis has seen many changes in the provision of local services. These have mostly been detrimental such as the reduction in recycling centre provision as our untidy pavements, open spaces, and footpaths reveal. This is despite the regular annual increase in Council Tax.

After many years as a carer, Lewis has insight into carers' commitments and where specific responsibilities exist regarding health services and how to access them. Voluntary counselling for the Alzheimers Society, together with time as a school governor, revealed to Lewis the effects of local democracy on the provision of many services.

As elected representatives of this local community, Lewis's view would be that if it matters to you and your family, it matters to him.

Tanya Warshaw

Tanya Warshaw is a local resident, mother and independent business owner. Tanya has been a member of the Labour Party for over 25 years and has always been a believer in equality and a fair society for all.

Tanya is standing as a Councillor so that she can hold the local Council to account for their policies that affect all members of our community.

Tanya's children attend the local Combined School, and she has a vested interest in ensuring that the Local Education Authority supports all their children, whatever their personal circumstances. Tanya is committed to ensuring that we all have a fair and affordable standard of living.

Aylesbury South East Candidate

Phil McGoldrick

Philip McGoldrick has lived in Aylesbury for over 20 years. Philip works locally in a high tech business. The local government workers – for both the County & District – have done an amazing job over the last year with all of the virus and health disruptions. They have been working behind the frontlines (and sometimes on the actual frontlines), keeping all of the cogs and wheels of essential life going for the people of Aylesbury & Buckinghamshire. Philip applauds them all for their hard work and dedication.

Aylesbury East Candidate

Luke Warshaw

Luke Warshaw is running for Buckinghamshire Council as a Labour Candidate as he would like to be able to provide a real alternative to the representation that we have had for a number of years. Luke lives locally and has schooled all 5 of his children in Aylesbury, with the youngest ones attending the school in the area in which he is standing.

Luke understands the concerns that parents and members of the local communities have regarding their difficulties in everyday life. As a Councillor, Luke would be able to bring up these concerns and help to shape policy that is inclusive of everyone, no matter their income, skill level or daily concerns.

Aylesbury West Candidates

Chris Newton

Chris Newton is seeking your support in the May 6th council elections. Chris believes that the Conservative-dominated county council is failing to represent and act in the best interests of Aylesbury residents. The social care system is struggling, and the NHS is under immense pressure, which is expected to worsen in the near future with an increase in the local population and continued underfunding.

By voting Labour in these local elections, Chris believes you can help hold the county council accountable and send a strong message to a Tory government that has shown itself time and time again to not work effectively for the people.

As a student and a relatively young candidate, Chris offers both a passionate voice for local issues and a fresh perspective to try to enforce change in a stagnant and Conservative-dominated county council.

With your support, Chris will campaign to solve Aylesbury's issues of today and work passionately to prevent tomorrow's issues.

John Bajina

John Bajina has lived in Buckinghamshire for 31 years and is standing for Labour, in Aylesbury West.

John is committed to ensuring that he is available to support the interests and concerns of the Aylesbury West residents and businesses.

John wishes to be a Buckinghamshire Councillor to help the Council address a number of challenges we face in Aylesbury and Bucks. Top of his list (and hope yours) are Green issues, Climate Change, state of roads, the sheer number of Pot Holes, amount of fly-tipping is depressing, Health Provisions in Bucks must improve, improve our Children's Services, improve the poor secondary education provisions and outcomes, want "Local Schools for Local Children" to come back.

John has been steeped in commerce all of his life and knows the importance of best value combined with Social Awareness, Equality and a Fair Society for all.

With the right political will, John believes there is no reason why all of these cannot be delivered.

Wendover, Halton & Stoke Mandeville Candidate

David Lander

David Lander is a local resident and has lived in Wendover for 13 years. David is passionate about our public services, the local area, our environment, protecting our countryside and ensuring access to our green spaces.

Over David's career, he has worked in both Housing and Children's services giving him valuable insight and the experience necessary to best serve local residents.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, David has been working in the community as part of the Oxford University & Office of National Statistics Covid Infection Study. This has delivered essential insight into community transmission. As part of this work, David has seen first-hand the impact the pandemic has had on mental health, the pressure on public services and the damage sustained by local businesses.

David is standing as Councillor for Wendover, Halton & Stoke Mandeville to be a strong voice for local residents, help rebuild and speak up on the issues that have a real and lasting impact on you and your family's quality of life.

Over the next few years, we expect to see a massive increase in new housing in the surrounding areas. David believes that it's essential these new homes are well designed and that essential public services and infrastructure, such as public transport, are properly provided and funded to cope with the increasing population.

If elected, David will ensure that our Children and Elderly residents' interests are placed higher on the Council's agenda and that all Council activities have a sympathetic and positive impact on our environment.

Aston Clinton & Bierton Candidate

Martin Abel

Martin is a retired teacher who lives in the local area. Martin has direct experience of dealing with Buckinghamshire Social services and an interest in Education and Planning.

Martin believes that Buckinghamshire is a failing Council. Adult social care is underfunded, and anyone with over £23,000 worth of assets will be required to pay for their old age care. The road network is deteriorating. Infrastructure improvements are inadequate despite the numerous housing estates which are being built in Aston Clinton. Our roads are becoming rat runs as people seek to avoid the inadequate roads through Aylesbury. The Education system fails the majority of our young people and is underfunded.

Martin rightly recognises that RAF Halton has been a vital part of the local economy for over 100 years. The closure of the base will be devastating and rob the community of jobs and opportunities. Martin believes the danger is that the physical and social resources will be sold off to developers, and a sprawling urban expansion will result. The need for highly skilled, trained civilian technicians in all branches of technology will be vital for Britain's economic survival in our new role outside the EU. It's Martin's view that Halton should be developed as a Technical Institute offering a range of qualifications and degrees similar to Cranfield University near Bedford. The facilities already exist. Only the vision and drive are missing.

Ridgeway West Candidate

Stephen Greiff

Stephen Greiff is asking for your support in the May 6th council elections.

Stephen believes that our Conservative-dominated unitary authority fails to represent and act in the residents' best interests.

Our social care system is struggling, and our NHS is under immense pressure; our education system works for the few (including the out-of-county entrants to our grammar schools) but fails the many.

Our public transport is overpriced and unreliable. We see the continued degradation of our environment and air quality. This will only get worse in the future if we continue to increase the population without increased funding from central government or an increased sense of purpose and urgency from the Conservatives running our Council.

Stephen believes that by voting Labour in these elections, you can help to send a strong message to both the Tory council and Tory government that have both shown themselves time and again to not work effectively for the people. As a Buckinghamshire resident and parent Stephen passionately wants to see a better, greener, fairer future for our county and all of our children.

With your support, Stephen will campaign for a council that actively works for everyone, doing everything possible to deliver that better future.

Ridgeway East Candidate

Aris Pollatos

Aris is incredibly proud to be standing as the Labour candidate for Ridgeway East. On Thursday, May 6th, the local elections are a chance to vote to support our NHS heroes and vote against the Conservatives' tax rises on Britain's families. Aris believes this is your opportunity to send a loud and clear message to Number 10 that enough is enough!

As your local councillor, Aris will; fight to reduce council tax without cutting local services, support local businesses and work together to enable a strong recovery, improve local amenities - especially for young people