We’ve asked all of the candidates standing for election to Cheshire East Council to provide our readers with a short introduction to themselves.
We’ll publish these daily for all 52 council wards (in alphabetical order) in the build up to the local elections on 4th May 2023.
You can view all of the Cheshire East Council candidate submissions together by clicking here.
Listed below are all of the candidates seeking your vote in the Gawsworth ward.
Voters in Gawsworth can select one candidate to represent them on Cheshire East Council.
Gawsworth candidates:
- Sam Hale (Labour)
- Eleanor Hall (Liberal Democrats)
- Lesley Smetham (Conservatives)
- Andrew Wheatstone (Green Party)
Sam Hale (Labour)
I’m pleased to have been selected as Labour’s candidate for Gawsworth ward.
I work in finance for a start-up over the border in Wales and before that have worked for various challenger firms in Manchester.
I moved to Cheshire East with my partner (a French teacher) five years ago and have loved every minute.
We came for the community spirit that makes Macclesfield, Congleton, and everywhere in between such a great place to live.
It’s a pleasure to be given the opportunity to give something back.
I believe the best local council is one that delivers efficient public services, ensuring taxpayer money is wisely spent, but with compassion at its heart.
Great work has been done over the last four years by the Labour-led authority and stability, now more than ever, is needed to keep this going.
Eleanor Hall (Liberal Democrats)
Nothing submitted.
Lesley Smetham (Conservatives)
I’ve lived in Gawsworth for nearly 40 years.
I was school governor and parish councillor and have been a Cheshire East councillor since the council’s inception and held many positions within the authority – deputy portfolio holder, chair of audit and governance committee and mayor of Cheshire East.
I have a masters degree in social science, environment, policy and society – and I understand the importance of our environment and the work we have to do to protect it.
Gawsworth Ward is currently providing much needed housing. This should be the limit of our contribution. It is time to protect our green space, particularly areas such as Danes Moss.
I recently fought – alongside parish councils and our MP David Rutley – for safer roads, and with the help of Cheshire East Highways we obtained a government grant for average speed cameras.
We successfully fought proposals in the Community Governance Review to merge and destroy ancient parishes.
Andrew Wheatstone (Green Party)
I live in Lyme Green, working in education – as a teacher and now as a teaching assistant – for over 30 years.
I have served as a parish councillor and advocate for a strong community voice in local government.
I believe in protecting and managing our beautiful countryside and tackling pollution in our air and waterways.
Public transport should be improved and made more affordable. New housing should be both sustainable and meet local needs, whilst existing homes should be made more energy efficient.
New development should utilise brownfield sites wherever possible.
I am strongly opposed to development on Danes Moss.
So Cheshire remains proudly non-partisan and has provided the same opportunity to all parties and independent candidates.
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