Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze by-election: full candidate profiles

Residents in Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze are heading to the polls on Thursday, May 24 to elect a new ward councillor.

There is just one seat up for grabs, following the resignation of Lib Dem Clare Campion-Smith, who stood down in April due to health reasons.

Each of the four major parties in Bristol are fielding candidates in the by-election and polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm, with the count due to take place soon after voting closes.

The ward is represented by three councillors, with the other two seats held by Tory councillors Geoff Gollop and Liz Radford. The elected candidate will serve for two years, before having the opportunity to stand again in the city-wide council elections.

Here is the full run down of each candidate (in alphabetical order):

Graham Donald: Lib Dem

Graham Donald

Graham is a 67-year-old former senior civil servant, who went on to work in professional regulation of barristers, solicitors and chiropractors. He describes himself as ‘active retired’ and someone who enjoys being with and talking to people, and helping with queries and problems.

Key priorities:

• Making Canford Lane safe for pedestrians.
• Keeping Bristol’s libraries open.
• Ensuring decent toilet facilities in Westbury and Henleaze.
• Securing more frequent and reliable local buses.
• Getting a better deal for people with disabilities and/or with mental health issues.

Why should people in the ward vote for you?
I have an understanding of, and sympathy for, the lives of the poorest in our society. I was a trustee of Crisis Centre Ministries and chaired its board for many years. I am retired, so have time and energy for helping residents and playing my part in civic life.

I have the administrative ability and networking skills to pursue residents’ issues with the council, tackle the relevant council staff and resolve matters. As a former senior civil servant, I get to grips with matters quickly, sort out priorities and solve problems.

I am comfortable with paper work, attending and chairing meetings and public speaking. I have attended council meetings to ask questions of the mayor, make formal statements and present petitions. I have experience of life’s ups and downs – of bereavement, family illness – including psychiatric illness – and of dementia in my family.

I am active in our community, most recently in the Canford Lane crossing campaign. Positive change can happen – if we work hard enough for it. Many Bristol residents were dismayed by the £70,000 ‘golden goodbye’ to a former council boss. I promoted a petition to have this investigated and the council audit committee are carrying out a probe.

Our libraries must remain open; I’m arguing for a ‘mutual’ arrangement, similar to the one for the Colston Hall. There must be decent toilet facilities so older people especially aren’t deterred from going out.

If elected, I promise to keep in touch all year round, not just at election time.

Ian Moss: Green

Ian Moss

Ian is a 58-year-old father of two, who works as a validation engineer in the pharmaceutical sector. He describes himself as an energetic and active volunteer in the community and a compassionate campaigner against injustices.

Key priorities:

• Stop the single use of plastics in Bristol.
• Continue to champion the 20mph limit, which is saving lives and reducing serious injuries.
• Continue to challenge the closure of 17 Libraries.
• Continue to focus on reducing congestion and air pollution, supporting the party’s “Clean Action Plan” and champion divestment from fossil fuels.
• Continue to campaign for more affordable housing.

Why should people in the ward vote for you?
I believe my life skills, from working both within the business and voluntary sector, will help me listen to people’s concerns and provide them with an effective voice to improve their wellbeing and the community in which they live.

I have supported and campaigned with the charity ‘Compassion In Care’ to petition Parliament over improving care for the elderly and vulnerable people, as well as improving protection for whistle blowers.

I have also served on both the Westbury-On-Trym and Henleaze Business Associations, whilst working for a local business from 2010 to 2014, which enabled me to meet so many local people and understand the challenges and constraints of running a small business.

I have coached sports at club, school and county level, supporting sports development in local schools and clubs for the past 20 years and I helped to create opportunities for girls and women to play cricket in the Bristol area and the whole of Gloucestershire. This included forming the Gloucestershire Junior County Girls Teams.

I was very proud to receive an award from the English and Welsh Cricket Board for my services to cricket and supporting girls’ and women’s cricket development. I also managed Bristol and West Athletics Club Girls & Women’s Track & Field Team for five years.

I have been a member of the Green Party for several years and campaigned passionately, both locally and nationally, on issues relating to the environment, climate change and remaining in Europe.

Steve Smith: Conservative

Steve Smith (centre)

Steve is a 40-year-old NHS GP practice manager and father-of-two. He describes himself as a keen motorcyclist and volunteer with the Freewheelers Blood Bike charity, supporting the NHS by delivering urgent blood and other medical products out of hours. He is also an Explorer Scout leader in Westbury.

Key priorities:

• To help prevent the closure of Westbury and Henleaze Libraries – The Conservatives have a plan to invest an extra £500,000 to keep them open.
• To hold Labour to account and be a strong opposition to Labour cuts.
• To keep putting forward plans to invest in our area forward – like an extra £1.6m into local parks, such as Canford.

Why should people in the ward vote for you?
I live in the ward and am not part of the party threatening to close libraries, therefore I am best placed to put Westbury and Henleaze’s concerns first. As part of the second largest party on Bristol City Council, the Conservatives can hold Labour to account and help prevent further cuts to our local area.

The stakes for this by-election couldn’t be higher – Labour are threatening to close Westbury Library and possibly Henleaze Library too – How you vote matters.

Regardless of what is said in the press, the council has not yet made a decision on libraries, and is not allowed to do so until after this election. Voting for me can help save our libraries.

It is the strongest message you can send to the Labour council. As the second largest party on Bristol City Council only the Conservatives can hold Labour to account and make them listen. So, use your vote to help save Westbury and Henleaze Libraries. The more people who vote for me the stronger the message to Labour.

Labour council have already closed our public toilets on Westbury High Street and threaten to slash funding for parks like Canford and the play area on Fallodon Way.

Teresa Stratford: Labour

Teresa Stratford (right)

Teresa is an occupational therapist, who was employed by Bristol City council and now works for a national charity supporting older people. She describes herself as a positive person with energy and determination, who likes spending time with family, walking her dog and reading.

Key priorities:

• To represent the people of Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym – all of them, no matter what political preferences they have.
• To enhance and improve conditions for elderly and disabled people in the ward: this includes requiring higher standards from the care agencies and opening up facilities to them, from bus stops to the (currently closed) public toilets.
• To maintain green spaces in the ward, including the facilities for sports and recreation in Canford Park.
• To help develop the libraries in the area so that there is no risk of them being threatened with closure: this could mean diversifying use.

Why should people in the ward vote for you?
I want to be a councillor so that I can get things done to improve Henleaze and Westbury-on-Trym. For ten years or so, voters here have returned either Conservative or Lib Dem councillors, but their numbers at the council are so low, they can’t vote through any of their plans and promises.

A Labour councillor here could take your concerns straight to the top and get a favourable hearing from the mayor. I love Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze, and like most of you, I have invested time and effort in the area.

My children went to school locally, and I got involved in their after-school club, and became a school governor. This is a by-election, so whoever is elected will have two years before the city-wide elections – time for me to make the case for the improvements you want to see in the area.  I care about it as much as you do.

There is a gender imbalance in the council: it is two-thirds men.  We need more women on the council, to represent the views, problems, and also the good ideas which women in the community have.

Read more: Date set for Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze by-election