Local elections 2024: List of candidates competing for a seat on Stroud District Council

Voters in Stroud district head to the polls on Thursday (May 2) to elect their representatives on the District Council.

All 51 seats at Ebley Mill are up for grabs at the which is currently led by a co-operative alliance of the Green, Independent Left, Community Independent and Liberal Democrat Groups.

Going into the elections, the Conservatives have 18 seats, the Greens 14, there are four Community Independents, four Independent Left councillors, four Labour members, three Liberal Democrats and two non-specified councillors. There is also a vacant seat in Nailsworth due to the death of much-respected Norman Kay in December last year.

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Each of the main parties and groups have set out below the reasons why they believe people should vote for them on May 2.

Community Independents

Stroud District Community Independents is a network of community leaders and independent councillors, who practise politics based on kindness, compassion and common decency.

We're not politically led and we aren't told what to do, say or think by any national political party. We do not serve the interests of others, only our communities.

We have chosen not to field candidates for every ward in Stroud as other groups have done. We don't agree with this practice which leads to increased hostility between political parties and instead we choose to put forward people who we know will give everything to their communities in wards close to where they actually live.

We have four candidates standing: Charlie Mitchell in Cainscross, Thea Pilikian in Stroud Slade and Helen Elliott-Boult and Robin Layfield in Rodborough.

If you want to elect someone who cares about what you think more than what's being shouted about in the newspapers then vote for us.

Conservative Party

We urge residents of the Stroud District to cast their votes in favour of your hard working local Conservative candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Over 12+ years, Stroud has experienced the challenges of governance under a fragmented coalition. This has resulted in missed opportunities for vital funding, exemplified by the loss of over £16 million in Levelling Up Funding due to administrative inefficiencies. Moreover, the local planning process, lacking resident input, has faced significant setbacks, including a ten-month pause prompted by fundamental concerns from planning inspectors.

The coalition of Greens, independent groups elected as Labour councillors, and the Liberal Democrats has failed to provide cohesive leadership or tangible progress.

By electing Conservatives, Stroud stands to benefit from:

· Promoting business growth and fostering supportive environments.

· Ensuring sound financial management.

· Facilitating the development of purpose-built housing in suitable locations.

· Enhancing community involvement in the planning process.

· Strengthening collaborative ties with neighboring authorities for mutually beneficial outcomes.

Green Party

The Green Party is growing, with more councillors than ever before in Stroud District. Stroud Greens have a practical vision of positive change, based on the Greens’ commitment to investing in communities, our shared environment, and the local economy.

This builds on many years of Green councillors’ experience at the District Council, and the past two years that we’ve been leading it. Green councillors put social justice, nature and the climate crisis at the heart of everything we do.

We thrive on collaborative working, with many of our biggest achievements securing backing from all the political parties. We have a plan to build more energy-efficient council homes, to support training for new jobs in the renewable energy and building sectors, to invest in market towns, to develop health and wellbeing services, to support cultural activities and to renew play areas, amongst other things.

If you like our manifesto, please join us!

Labour Party

Voters will have a full slate of Labour candidates on ballot papers, whichever ward they are in, for the first time in over 20 years.

Labour has outlined a programme of work they plan to implement if they win control. They plan to reduce energy bills through new sustainable, locally owned, community energy schemes. Work is already underway thanks to an expert team pulled together by Dr Simon Opher, Labour’s MP candidate and local GP.

Labour has also pledged to work with tenant groups in the Stroud District, making community engagement a priority, and work to bring all social and private rented homes up to a good living standard. Labour has successfully worked with Community Land Trusts to build more affordable homes and plans to continue this work to help to reduce the housing waiting list.

If elected, Labour councillors plan to maintain free car parking where it already exists, and review parking charges in Stroud town.

Liberal Democrats

The Liberal Democrats exist to build a fair, free and open society in which no-one is enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. In very tough times, now more than ever people deserve A Fair Deal.

When budgets are tight it’s more important than ever that local residents are championed at Stroud District Council. Liberal Democrat Councillors fight to retain all the amenities and services that make each community, whether village or town, across the District such special places to live.

In these elections Liberal Democrats stand for:

• A cleaner, safer environment

• Improved roads and local transport networks

• Better, more accessible local health services

• A vibrant and sustainable local economy in every community

When elected our councillors have a track record of successfully fighting to keep local bus services and other community assets, of road safety initiatives, and of responding effectively to individual resident issues. Liberal Democrats get things done, for all of us.

Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) is standing 279 candidates across 55 authorities, including four candidates in the Stroud District in May’s elections in England. Every TUSC candidate is committed to stand up to the establishment parties, including Reform, who have all shown themselves to be virtually indistinguishable when it comes to representing the interests of working class people – in domestic policy and foreign policy too.

We believe we need a new political party to represent the interests of ordinary working class people. The TUSC core policy platform for our 2024 council candidates is that every one of them will be a stop the cuts and stop the war candidate in the May 2nd polls.

We oppose austerity, the cuts and privatisations that are destroying our public services and causing widespread poverty. This economic crisis is the result of the greed of the wealthiest 1 per cent and their representatives in all the main political parties.

Stroud District Council election candidates by ward

Amberley and Woodchester

Canning, Sarah - Green Party

Chisholm, Colin - Conservative Party

Williams, Lesley - Labour and Co-operative Party

Berkeley Vale

Ashton, Liz - Labour Party

Cutcher, Martyn - Green Party

Easby, Nick - Liberal Democrats

Green, Lindsey Jane - Conservative Party

Hilliard, Bob - Green Party

Lydon, Steve - Labour Party

Medley, Susie - Green Party

Smith, Jo - Labour Party

Tuffin, Charles James - Conservative Party

Turner, Paul - Conservative Party

Bisley

Brown, Martin Andrew - Green Party

Davies, Stephen - Conservative Party

Hughes, Neil William - Labour Party

Rhys Jones, Rod - Liberal Democrats

Cainscross

Crews, Kate - Green Party

Dahdouh, Fraser - Labour Party

Matthes, Dave - Labour Party

McClafferty, Gavin - Green Party

Mitchell, Charlie - Independent

Mossman, Alan - Green Party

Pickering, Donna - Conservative Party

Richards, Sue - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Stanley, Elizabeth Ross - Labour Party

Whitehead, Adam Ashley - Conservative Party

Williams, George - Conservative Party

Cam East

Bonallack, Anna - Green Party

Gray, Victoria Elizabeth - Conservative Party

Hamilton, Ian - Labour Party

Hill, Milly - Labour Party

Naumann, Steven Cherknocke - Green Party

Tipper, Brian - Conservative Party

Wilsher, Richard Christopher - Liberal Democrats

Cam West

Baxter, Bridget - Conservative Party

Bywater, Ben - Green Party

Evans, Christopher David - Conservative Party

Haynes, Chris - Labour Party

Kinnison, Terri - Labour Party

Pickering, Sally - Green Party

Wilsher, Rhianna Sian - Liberal Democrats

Chalford

Boyle, James - Green Party

Fearnley-Whittingstall, Gail Ann - Conservative Party

Fenton, Helen - Green Party

Hawkins, Kim - Conservative Party

Hughes, Alex - Labour Party

Knight, Jed Peter Heatchote - Labour Party

Stanley, Stephen Michael - Labour Party

Watson, Tricia - Green Party

Westlake, Time - Conservative Party

Coaley and Uley

Cook, Claire Louise - Labour Party

Pearcy, Martin Richard - Green Party

Stanton, John - Conservative Party

Dursley

Blacklock, Ann - Liberal Democrats

Broady, James Stuart - Green Party

Caton Hughes - Helen Rose - Labour Party

Cook, Terry - Labour Party

Hughes, Bob - Labour Party

Jayaseelan, Lucia - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Meadowcroft, Tom - Green Party

Patrick, Lorraine Vivienne - Conservative Party

Patrick, Matt - Conservative Party

Savvidou, Danae - Green Party

Williams, Carwyn Haines - Conservative Party

Hardwicke

Macgregor, Simon John Nicholas - Labour Party

Oldman, Adrian - Green Party

Owen, Alexandra Caroline - Liberal Democrats

Oxley, Gill - Conservative Party

Patient, John - Green Party

Ryder, Mark Andrew - Conservative Party

Terry, Keith William - Labour Party

Turner-Wilkes, Demelza Jane Rachel - Conservative Party

Williams, Thomas Hugh

Kingswood

Long, Allison - Conservative Party

Lyons-Tsai, Hannah - Green Party

Randell, Val - Labour Party

Simkiss, Holly - Liberal Democrats

Minchinhampton

Archer, Christo - Liberal Democrats

Carter, David James - Labour Party

Greenaway, Duncan Robert - Conservative Party

Moore, Stephen - Labour Party

Morris, Philip - Conservative Party

Thomas, Gill - Green Party

Turner, Chloe Isobel - Green Party

Nailsworth

Cain, Adam - Liberal Democrats

Daniels, Ian Michael - Conservative Party

Dutton, Maggie - Labour and Co-operative Party

George, Tom - Conservative Party

Howells, Max Oliver John - Conservative Party

Kay, Kate - Green Party

Nelson, Rod - Green Party

Rider, Shelley - Labour and Co-operative Party

Robinson, Steve - Labour and Co-operative Party

Rothwell, Colleen Angela - Liberal Democrats

Thresher, Rosie Louise - Green Party

Painswick and Upton

Castle, David Anthony - Conservative Party

Kennedy, Pete - Green Party

Lowin, David - Conservative Party

Luff, Gary Alan - Green Party

Osborn, Richard Paul - Liberal Democrats

Sargeant, Matthew James - Green Party

Smith, Ashley Robert Wickens - Labour Party

Snelgrove, Anne Christine - Labour Party

Treacher, Andrew Christopher Charles - Labour Party

Williams, Tim - Conservative Party

Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe

Cosh, Marcia - Conservative Party

Edmunds, Jon - Green Party

Holmes, John Stuart - Liberal Democrats

Sztumpf, Paul Michael - Labour Party

Rodborough

Blomberg, Phil - Green Party

Elliott-Boult, Helen - Independent

Hillary, Liz - Green Party

Hofmann, Katy - Labour Party

Jones, Sarah - Conservative Party

Layfield, Robin Mark Hesketh - Independent

Prenter, Nigel Andrew - Labour Party

Whittaker, Tom - Conservative Party

Severn

Brown, Robert Geoffrey - Conservative Party

Clee, Isa - Green Party

Greenway, Nathan - Labour and Co-operative Party

Maisey, Richard - Labour and Co-operative Party

Mannan-Rahman, Hena - Conservative Party

Shannon, Moya - Green Party

Stayte, Mike - Liberal Democrats

Stonehouse

Brinkworth, Sonia Faye - Conservative Party

Callinan, John Michael - Labour Party

Goulcher, Adam Mark - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Housden, Nicholas Edward - Conservative Party

Jewell, Robert Mark - Liberal Democrats

Kambites, Carol - Green Party

Linforth, Karen Frances - Labour Party

Malik, Surjeet, Conservative Party

Maraboli-Roman, Madelaine - Green Party

Parker, John Charles - Labour Party

Smith, Rachel Mary - Green Party

Thomson, Wendy Joy - Independent

Stroud Central

Cursham, Susan - Conservative Party

Drew, David - Labour and Co-operative Party

James-Hodges, Cate - Green Party

Stroud Farmhill and Paganhill

Ananthan, Shyama - Labour Party

Saunders, Val - Green Party

Silvey, Richard Elliott - Conservative Party

Stroud Slade

Lyons, Rachel - Labour Party

Malpass, Anthony Roger - Conservative Party

Pilikian, Thea - Independent

Rothwell-Warn, Natalie - Green Party

Stroud Trinity

Moore, Chris - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Purves, Philip - Liberal Democrats

Schoemaker, Lucas - Green Party

Sugars, Sharon - Conservative Party

Theaker, Andy - Labour Party

Stroud Uplands

Dixon, Sarah - Green Party

James, George William - Liberal Democrats

Moore, Cath - Labour Party

Tomblin, Jessica - Conservative Party

Stroud Valley

Baxendale, Martin Joseph - Green Party

Fealty, Mick - Labour Co-operative Party

Lee, Brian - Conservative Party

The Stanleys

Godfrey, Marisa - Green Party

Harper, Julie Marie - Labour Party

Hynd, Steve - Green Party

Jewell, Elaine Joyce - Liberal Democrats

Miles, Jenny - Labour Party

Studdert-Kennedy, Nigel William John - Conservative Partty

White, David Julian - Conservative Party

Thrupp

Aldam, Beki - Green Party

Beer, Rod - Labour Party

Stacey, Charlie - Conservative Party

Wotton-under-Edge

Bloxsom, John - Labour Party

Braun, Catherine - Green Party

Carr, Lisa - Liberal Democrats

Cohen, Linda - Liberal Democrats

Curley, Rachel - Labour Party

Kitchen, Gareth - Green Party

Mackay, Steven Richard - Labour Party

Meehan, Eleanor - Green Party

Nolan, Allan - Conservative Party

Reynolds, Andrew - Conservative Party

Smith, Graham Steven - Conservative Party

Walter, Mark David - Liberal Democrats