Stroud District Council election - candidate profiles – The Stanleys

Each party candidate will give voters information about who they are, what their pledges are and why you should vote for them.

These profiles will be posted alphabetically by ward over the next week.

Today we feature Uplands, Valley, The Stanleys, Thrupp and Wotton-Under-Edge.

The Stanleys - there are five candidates standing in this ward. Number of seats – two.

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• Lawrie Hall – Conservative

I have lived in Kings Stanley since 1984 with my wife Vanessa. Both our sons attended Kings Stanley junior school.

After just on 50 years as a railwayman, including 10 years responsible for the Gloucester area, I am scaling back my professional work, and can give more time to local affairs.

I am a member of Kings Stanley Parish Council, a trustee of the Kings Stanley and Selsley Trust, which exists to give help to people of the villages who are experiencing financial difficulty, and president of Selsley Scout Group.

I have recently joined a working group looking at the feasibility of opening a new railway station at Stonehouse Bristol Road, on the Gloucester to Bristol line.

As well as the interests of the Stanleys, I am keen to contribute to a successful Conservative-led Stroud District Council, particularly in planning and local-government finance.

I would like to remind voters in the Stanleys that they have two votes for the election of District Councillors, and to commend myself and Nigel Studdert-Kennedy, the two conservative candidates.

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• Nigel Studdert-Kennedy – Conservative

It has been my privilege to represent King’s Stanley and Selsley since 2000 and Leonard Stanley and Frocester since 2002 when the Stanleys’ Ward was formed.

I hope that I may count upon your support in order to continue to do so. My wife’s help is invaluable. We have lived in King’s Stanley since 1992 and have two sons and three grandchildren.

In addition to my work in the Stanleys Ward, I currently serve as Chairman of the Audit and Standards Committee. It is my intention, if re-elected, to continue to support good local government.

As you have two votes this year please use them to vote for myself and Lawrie Hall.

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• Steve Lydon - Labour

Steve lives in Leonard Stanley and is a Parish Councillor and local Scout Leader. He’s always looked to put local people before party politics and wants to continue this work if he’s re-elected.

Over the last four years Steve’s dealt with hundreds of issues and problems raised by residents, from potholes to pavements, as well as providing strong opposition to unsustainable housing developments such as Mankley Field and Woodside Lane.

He’s also proud that the first council houses built in a generation are here in the Stanleys.

Amongst other things, Steve secured funding to alleviate flooding in Gipsy Lane and to make Ryeford Bridge safer for both drivers and pedestrians.

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• Debbie Hicks - Labour

I work as a teacher at Stroud and South Glos College and live locally with my husband, son and two cats.

I have over twenty years’ experience of working in local government on crucial local policy issues, working both for Citizens Advice Bureau as an advisor helping local residents and setting up a fundraising strategy for food banks.

Passionate about protecting our environment, wildlife and villages from predatory developers, I also recognise the need for affordable, decent housing.

I am currently working with Steve on how we can hold developers like Lioncourt to account on sites including Woodside Lane – the concerns of local residents must come first.

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• Nicola Hillary – Green Party

Nicola moved to Kings Stanley in 2006 and then to Leonard Stanley in 2009. She works part-time as the fundraiser for Transition Network, the charity that supports local Transition community groups working for a future with much lower reliance on fossil fuels and greater community wellbeing.

I believe political decisions should always be made with two things in mind: care for the environment and care for disadvantaged people in our society. I am against building on green-field sites and I was very involved in the (unfortunately unsuccessful) campaign to save Mankley Field in Leonard Stanley from development."

I’d like to see Stroud District Council prioritise its resources more towards disadvantaged people in our community, and help the people worst affected by government cuts. My charity background means I am adept at scrutinising budgets and ensuring precious financial resources are not wasted."

Please vote Green – the more Green councillors we have on District Council committees, the more influence they will have in fighting for sensible decisions that benefit the environment and local people."