Esher and Walton Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat candidates for Elmbridge Borough Council elections on 3rd May

Below are the biographies for our candidates listed in alphabetical order of the ward they are standing for. To contact any of our candidates please email info@esherandwaltonlibdems.org.uk

Claygate - Alex Coomes

Alex has lived in Claygate since he was four months old and is a Parish Councillor.

He enjoys the benefits of living in Claygate and wants to help it remain a lovely village and to work for the residents on Council matters.

He has worked hard on the Parish Planning Committee considering the views of residents on planning applications, the merits of any application and how these opinions should be transmitted to Elmbridge. He has been active in making comments to Elmbridge Borough Council on the Elmbridge Plan.

Alex was a very active supporter of the campaign against the imposition of metered car parking charges by Surrey County Council. If elected, Alex will work hard for the benefit of Claygate, but promises however to continue to find time for his allotment.

Cobham and Downside - David Bellchamber

David recently retired from a career in law, having been a partner with a City firm before practising locally.

David considers that local communities are best served through Town and Parish Councils (as successfully pioneered in Claygate) with unitary authorities forming the tier of government above that. To work toward those, existing authorities such as Elmbridge, other district councils and Surrey need to co-operate and share facilities more extensively.

David is keen to ensure that the character of the various localities of villages and towns is not lost in the changes in planning being implemented and that Elmbridge's open spaces and Green Belt are safeguarded.

David is married to Sue, a local counsellor. His main leisure interests, apart from politics, are golf, hill walking and boating.

Cobham Fairmile - Mike Smith

Mike was born in and attended school in Surrey. After University, he worked in various marketing and management roles in the Food industry. He is married and has lived in Cobham for the last nine years.

He is keen to see that Cobham keeps its distinctive identity and to ensure that any development is consistent with its character.

Mike is very doubtful if the current local government structure is the most efficient and accountable way of delivering local services effectively.

If elected, Mike's priority will be to ensure that there is a safe crossing across the Portsmouth Road to replace the closed footbridge.

Mike's interests include sport, reading and travelling.

Long Ditton - Toni Izard

Toni Izard was born in Hinchley Wood and has lived in Long Ditton for the last ten years. She is committed to Long Ditton and to working for its residents.

For the last four years, Toni has been Chair of the volunteer run Long Ditton Youth Club which she helped to found. She and her husband Ben regularly volunteer to run sessions as they feel it is very important to offer a safe but stimulating environment for local 10 - 15 year olds.

She takes a keen interest in sustainable living, joining in with community food growing projects and running a cookery workshop to promote home cooking. To save food being wasted she volunteers for the Abundance project, helping to harvest local fruit which residents do not want for distribution to local schools and disadvantaged groups. She has campaigned against GM Foods and for sustainable farming with Friends of the Earth.

Toni is also a Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator, co-runs a sewing group and has started to teach English to speakers of other languages.

Professionally, she trained as a Speech and Language Therapist and worked in the NHS for many years, but now works part-time as a Property Manager. She has two grown-up daughters.

Hersham South - Andrew Sturgis

Retired Solicitor and former County Councillor for Hersham, Andrew has lived in Hersham for over 40 years.

He aims to maintain and improve Hersham as a strong, caring, inclusive,local community. He wants to see Hersham with its own (civil) parish council, with seven or nine elected but unpaid parish councillors - the best form of local government there is.

A strong champion of the green belt, he wants Walton and Hersham footballers to continue playing at the Stompond Lane ground long-term.

Molesey North - Alastair Sturgis

Alastair is a resident of Hurst Park and lived in the area for over 13 years. He is member of Hurst Park Residents Association and takes an active interest in local issues, especially those affecting young people.

He was previously a governor of a local primary school.

As a keen cyclist he is concerned about environmental issues.

He is a personnel officer at Heathrow Airport.

Molesey South - Paul Nagle

Paul Nagle has lived in Molesey for 16 years with his wife and daughter. He has over three decades of experience in science publishing, most recently focused on engineering and the water environment.

Paul sees key issues as being those of localism - enabling individuals and communities to be directly involved in decisions rather than remote and impersonal authorities, and using the planning system to ensure the supply of affordable homes and employment opportunities while preserving the character of local communities.

He is also interested in environmental issues and sustainability, including making sure that resources are reused and recycled and that waste is minimized.

Oxshott and Stoke D'Abernon - David Loader

David and his wife Patricia have lived in Hinchley Wood for twenty eight years and before that Kingston upon Thames for over five years. He was born in the East End of London in 1951 and has a daughter and three grandsons who live in Spelthorne.

David has worked in finance for over 30 years, has been a Director in two banks and today is a joint owner of a highly successful consultancy and training business.

The key issue for David in Elmbridge is localism, which is to protect those who rely on vital services, to protect the area from over development, to help small shops and businesses and to provide opportunities for young people to live and work in the Borough.

David is a past Chairman of the local constituency party and is now Vice Chair and has been active in politics for many years.

Apart from politics David's other interests are his family, canals and waterways, football, cricket and gardening

Walton North - Alex Stringer

Alex has lived in Walton North for several years with his wife and four year old daughter.

He has worked with administration and accounts for various employers, and for a time ran his own business. He has managed up to 50 members of staff. With the birth of his daughter, Alex became a house-husband and is grateful his wife's career has allowed them to ensure their daughter is looked after at home - not a choice all families can make given the high cost of rent/mortgages in Walton.

Alex is concerned about a number of local issues including the cost and quality of local housing stock, provision of realistic parking with new developments, and the availability of child care. He also wants to ensure we protect our lovely river environment for all to enjoy.

Alex is standing for the Council because as a house-husband, he is a member of his community day and night, and sees the issues facing fellow residents first hand. He has the drive and commitment to voice concerns and will work hard to help resolve solve problems.

Walton South - Sereena Davey

Sereena has lived in Walton for eight years with her husband. They have two young daughters - both under two years old.

Sereena is on maternity leave having previously spent 12 years working as a government relations specialist for a variety of organisations from the children's charity the NSPCC to a global IT company helping them campaign for change.

Having first volunteered for a few years, in 2010 she became a Director of an Elmbridge charity which supports adults with learning difficulties.

Sereena is concerned about the impact of reduced funding on the services local charities are able to offer, and on how budget constraints will affect facilities for families in Walton.

She is standing for council as she would like to see better representation of professionals and young parents to ensure the whole community has a voice in decisions made on behalf of residents. She will use her skills in representing views and achieving policy changes for the benefit of fellow residents in Walton.

Oatlands Park, St George's Hill and Weybridge candidates

These borough council wards fall into the Runneymede and Weybridge parliamentary constituency. Details of Liberal Democrat candidates can be found on www.weybridgelibdems.org.uk