Kay Wesley will stand for the Women’s Equality Party in May’s election for Cheshire East Council and Congleton Town Council.
Susan Mead will stand for the Women’s Equality Party in May’s election for Congleton Town Council.
The Cheshire East Branch of the Women’s Equality Party (WEP) is holding a ‘Meet the Candidates’ evening in Congleton early next month.
The event will take place at The Railway Inn on Biddulph Road, on 6th March at 7pm.
Existing town councillor Kay Wesley is seeking a second term on Congleton Town Council as well as election to Cheshire East Council, while Susan Mead is seeking election to Congleton Town Council to double the party’s representation.
Kay Wesley
Kay Wesley is a local business owner, and in 2019 she made history by becoming the first Women’s Equality Party candidate in the country to be elected for a local council.
Since then, other WEP candidates have been elected, and this year the party hopes to double its numbers in Congleton.
Kay said: “It has been an honour to serve the people of Congleton as a town councillor for the past four years.
“I have learned a lot and been truly inspired by the amazing people of Congleton who have helped each other through some tough times, in particular the Covid-19 crisis and now the cost-of-living crisis.
“The volunteers and good neighbours we have in this town are amazing.
“I have worked hard to support the residents of Congleton, especially the most vulnerable, for the past four years, and I think I have helped to show that your vote matters and that with different people in councils, you will get different results.
“The Women’s Equality Party is a bipartisan, collaborative force and as such I have worked with colleagues from all parties, and no party, to get things done.
“We’ve had a real impact in many areas – making our town fairer, safer and greener – and I hope to have the opportunity to continue this work.
“For services such as transport, childcare, social care and household waste, the town council only has a lobbying role – so I’m keen to get onto Cheshire East Council and be part of the decision-making for these, in order to improve things for the people of Congleton.”
Susan Mead
Susan Mead is a local business owner, running Friendly Faces Day Nursery.
She is already a volunteer in the community – running peer support, Stay and Play, the Bromley Farm Hub residents’ group, and a gardening group.
Susan is also a national campaigner for better childcare funding, and represents Cheshire on the Early Years Equality group.
She won the Cheshire East ‘Coronavirus Local Heroes’ award for supporting vulnerable people in the community during lockdown.
Susan said: “I am always looking for new ways to support the local community because I can see the potential in local people and the local environment.
“Congleton is a great place to live but not everyone benefits from all it has to offer.
“I think the council has an important role to play in improving things for residents and I want to be part of that.
“In my work I have seen that so often it is critical things like childcare, social care, healthcare and challenging violence against women that are under-resourced and under-funded.
“These impact everyone, of course, but women are the hardest-hit. One government after another has pushed them to the bottom of the priority list.
“The Women’s Equality Party has these things at the top of the list, and that is why I’m standing for them.”
Women’s Equality Party
The pair are also being championed by party leader Mandy Reid.
Mandu said: “Congleton could not have better representatives than Kay and Susan.
“We are all inspired by their energy and passion for building a better, more equal future for people in their area.
“In only four years Kay has had a huge impact, including securing funding for domestic abuse clinics in Congleton, achieving White Ribbon accreditation and working with local parents and childcare providers to improve provision.
“I can’t wait to see what she, Susan and the Congleton community build together in the future.”
The Women’s Equality Party was established in 2015 to highlight and dismantle obstacles to gender equality in the UK.
The party aims to put equality for women at the top of the national political agenda by being an electoral force that works alongside other political parties.
In addition to party membership it also allows joint memberships to those who are members of other political parties.
Meet the candidates
Voters can meet Kay and Susan and the WEP team at the Railway Inn on Biddulph Road in Congleton on Monday 6th March at 7pm.
Find out more at the WEP Congleton website www.wepcongleton.com
