We’ve asked all of the candidates standing for election to Cheshire West and Chester Council to provide our readers with a short introduction to themselves.
We’ll publish these daily for all 45 council wards (in alphabetical order) in the build up to the local elections on 4th May 2023.
You can view all of the Cheshire West and Chester Council candidate submissions together by clicking here.
Listed below are all of the candidates seeking your vote in the Great Boughton ward.
Voters in Great Boughton can select two candidates to represent them on Cheshire West and Chester Council.
Great Boughton candidates:
- Ashley Avery-Bennett (Conservatives)
- David Barter (Conservatives)
- Barry Brown (Green Party)
- Karen Brown (Green Party)
- Steve Collings (Labour)
- Rob Herd (Liberal Democrats)
- Elizabeth Macglashan (Labour)
- Mark Pearson (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
- John Salt (Liberal Democrats)
Ashley Avery-Bennett (Conservatives)
I have been a resident of Great Boughton for over 20 years – moving here when I was five years old.
It is a wonderful place to live, but there has been a noticeable decline recently.
Potholes are not filled. Pavements are not repaired. Local voices are not heard – such as with the fiasco over the bus lanes.
I am also passionate about our city centre and want to help local businesses by bringing back free-after-three parking.
If elected, I will ensure we get those basic things right and reverse the decline while also ensuring residents get value for money from their council tax.
David Barter (Conservatives)
I am David Barter, 62 years of age and father of two sons.
I was born in Kampala, Uganda being the son of a coroner and a teacher.
I grew up in Ruthin, Denbighshire, attended the Blue Coat School, Liverpool and Ysgol Brynhyfryd, Ruthin.
I spent a period in the hospitality industry, including Chester Grosvenor, then joined Cheshire Constabulary and was stationed in Chester – where I spent much of my 30 years service as a detective and uniform sergeant.
Upon retirement from the police I took up a new career; currently still self employed as a driving instructor.
I have witnessed the managed decline of our beautiful city, the wretched decay and crumbling of our infrastructure and heritage such as the city walls.
We can all see the potholes and weeds.
I’m saddened by this greedy Labour council’s mismanagement and raising of council tax as our services decline.
Barry Brown (Green Party)
Nothing submitted.
Karen Brown (Green Party)
Nothing submitted.
Steve Collings (Labour)
After 13 long years of Conservative governments, we are left with a crisis in social care, a mental health crisis and a cost of living crisis.
In the face of such adversity, I have tried to support local projects that bring our community together.
I live on Vicars Cross Road with my family and we love our area.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, I supported efforts to help vulnerable people in our community, including funding technology so they could remain in contact with their families.
I have also used my community budget for new play equipment, to support local events and for fun learning experiences for local children.
Rob Herd (Liberal Democrats)
I am a local teacher, and live in Great Boughton.
Previously a lawyer and now a head of modern languages (formerly at a local high school), I have also been a school governor at Boughton Heath Academy for five years.
I am a parish councillor and also a trustee at the Chester-based Cheshire, Halton and Warrington Race and Equality Centre, a charity that aims to improve equality throughout the area.
I stood as the candidate for the Liberal Democrats in the 2022 Parliamentary by-election.
Elizabeth Macglashan (Labour)
Cuts to neighbourhood services, cuts to policing, cuts to our local schools, NHS dentists disappearing, doctors waiting times increasing – in all my life, things have never been so bad.
At least locally Labour has held the line – keeping things like our library open, providing funding for local projects and investing in community spaces like our parks.
I have been a resident of Vicars Cross for nine years.
My children attend Oldfield Primary School, I shop locally and I really want to make a positive difference for our area.
Mark Pearson (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
All we can expect from the main political parties, at local and national level, is more cuts to jobs and services – but the money is there!
Our councils have huge reserves, emergency funds, and legal borrowing powers, but they don’t use them in the service of the communities they represent; they make cuts instead.
They do as they are told by whichever government is at Westminster.
TUSC candidates nationwide are part of a broad anti-cuts group and, if elected, I will work alongside them to stop further attacks on jobs, services and living standards. Vote TUSC!
John Salt (Liberal Democrats)
I have lived in Caldy Valley with my wife Sally since 1989, and I have spent my life dedicated to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.
Following retirement from operational roles, I became chair of Great Boughton Parish Council, negotiating the purchase of the now Vicars Cross Community Centre for £1.
I was also involved in setting up Cheshire West and Chester Council as an authority, as chair of the Local Strategic Partnership and vice-chair of the Environment and Sustainability Board, amongst other things.
I am currently the chair of the Great Boughton & Vicars Cross Road Safety Task Group.
So Cheshire remains proudly non-partisan and has provided the same opportunity to all parties and independent candidates.
We rely on our advertisers and supporters in order to continue publishing articles like this, so please consider ‘buying us a coffee’ to support our work if you’ve found this article useful.
You can do that here: www.buymeacoffee.com/socounties
Remember to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with the latest news and views from across the county.
