2016 City of Lincoln Council election candidates – Park ward

Thirteen candidates from five parties are standing in Park ward for the City of Lincoln Council elections taking place on Thursday, May 5.

Below is a list of all the candidates standing in the ward:

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Roly Bunce – UKIP

Age: 23

Marital Status: Rather Not Say

Twitter: N/A

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if (re)elected as a city councillor?

Poor road conditions, lack of affordable housing, high crime and unemployment.

I’d like to see a reduction in austerity measures and money to be spent on much needed services that benefit real people in the community rather than glorified projects such as an increase in policing, job opportunities and help for those in need.

I would also like to see cheaper more accessible parking, especially for the businesses on the high street who lack these basic facilities.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

As a UKIP representative, I’m not tied down to a single party view. I stand for the masses and not for the few.

I want to push for much needed common sense and fairness within the local area. The sort of measures that would actively boost Lincoln’s economy and improve people’s living standards.

As a young person with real life experience of growing and working in Lincolnshire, I feel I am closer to the issues that effect the everyday person.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I recently appeared in an issue of cross stitch crazy magazine.

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Chris Burke – Labour

Age: 63

Marital Status: Married

Twitter: CllrChrisBurke

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if (re)elected as a city councillor?

The need for economic regeneration is key and improving and increasing a decent affordable rented sector is vital to our community. I have contributed to the plans the city council is developing to regenerate Park providing also more homes to rent at a decent affordable rent and this will go ahead.

I am also fighting: to retain our quality fire service (under threat from the Tory county council), to keep street cleaning, more employment, keep Sure Start, keep our library, keep our day centre, address traffic issues via the East West Link. Support our elderly at risk from cuts.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

I have served on three Lincolnshire local authorities over the last thirty years and in that time I have helped found and extend the Lincolnshire Credit Union to fight loan sharks, campaigned successfully to prevent the closure of the library and day centre, successfully campaigned to close down legal high centres in the city, helped to establish a women’s aid centre in the city, as Children and Young Person’s Advocate supported more investment and facilities for young people, worked with local forums to increase investment in Park and fight crime advocating a reversal of Tory cuts to our Police/Health Services.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

While in the RAF for 12 years, I established a Classic FM type Forces Radio programme which also had film music. I was a member of the “Copper Kettle” folk group as a singer, and I am a member the folk services with my parish of SS Peter & Paul’s.

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Sue Burke – Labour

Age: 58

Marital Status: Married

Twitter: N/A

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if (re)elected as a city councillor?

Housing is a priority and dealing with poverty issues. I have worked with the city council to establish new policies which will bring economic regeneration, that’s jobs, affordable, decent housing and lower crime. These measures are coming into play over the coming months.

I am concerned to establish more green areas in our ward and more facilities for our young people and the elderly. I am opposed to the Tories’ vicious austerity measures that are plunging so many local people into further poverty. I am fighting hard to ensure that our regeneration projects bring more jobs at a living wage.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

I have, as a councillor, presented the “Robin Hood” measure to the council campaigning for banks to pay more into our community instead of their recent actions of taking away money needed for health, education and schools.

I have helped to develop our anti-poverty strategy that seeks to counter homelessness and unemployment. As a parent I appreciate the challenges young people and families face in these difficult times.

I am determined that our fire service will not be reduced by the Tory county council and that our NHS locally must be protected as well.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

The first time I cooked Quiche Lorraine it was for 200 children at a Christian Holiday Camp in the Isle of Anglesey.

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Richard Butroid – Conservative

Age: N/A

Marital Status: N/A

Twitter: N/A

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if( re)elected as a city councillor?

Issues in the area include parking, anti-social behaviour, properties that are run-down, limited affordable housing and high unemployment. My particular interest is community cohesion and working to ensure that different nationalities and cultures can feel safe and respectful of each other, living side by side.

By encouraging different groups in the community to embrace the differences and the similarities amongst us can we then
start to make Park a more cohesive community where everyone feels a part of the changes and developments that are inevitable in today’s society.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

As a councillor I will be able to empathise and understand the pressures that small businesses face, the impact of changes in work related legislation, the cost of borrowing and keeping a steady cash flow within the business.

Running my own business and being heavily involved with the Conservative Party means I have to be organised with my time and plan my diary effectively, having such a commitment to things I care about really gives me a ‘buzz’ and the motivation to look for the next challenge.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I am a fellow trustee and the company secretary of Supporting Minds, a local not for profit organisation providing affordable medium to long term talking therapies to those aged 16 and over.

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Natasha Chapman – Liberal Democrats

Age: 24

Marital Status: Living With Partner

Twitter: nsmudgechapman

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if( re)elected as a city councillor?

Everyone has to live together and, I feel, will massively benefit from talking to and getting to know their neighbours to promote understanding and prevent friction between different kinds of people.

Litter and fly tipping are also unfortunately widespread and make otherwise beautiful areas, such as the watercourses, look bad. I will continue to support community projects such as the Sincil Bank allotment and do everything in my power to promote them. Activities like these get people to work together and encourage pride in our local community.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

I am extremely passionate about local democracy and empowering people to speak up for themselves. One of the main reasons people don’t bother to vote, particularly in local elections, is that they aren’t sure how actions taken by councillors will affect them.

As a resident of the ward, I am absolutely determined to make sure local people’s voices are heard, and also that they constantly hear back and are aware of what their local council is doing on their behalf.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I went to my first protest, against cuts in funding to my primary school, aged 6. It might have been around then that I caught the bug for community campaigning and activism.

We won our campaign, by the way.

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Lauren Finka – Green

Age: 31

Marital Status: Living With Partner

Twitter: N/A

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if( re)elected as a city councillor?

I feel that Park ward is lacking in a strong sense of community. Park ward has a beautiful large green space (South Common) which I believe could benefit from conservation initiatives to improve its value as a local biodiversity hot spot.

Encouraging local residents to be involved with such projects could be an effective way to increase the sense of community amongst individuals, as well as support local wildlife, and connect people with the natural world.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

As well as being a member of the Green Party, I am also an animal welfare scientist and conservationist, and I am passionately committed to supporting both of these causes at both a local and global level. I support rational, ethical and informed decision making based on the best evidence available.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I play the didgeridoo.

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Sally Horscroft – Green

Age: 58

Marital Status: Single

Twitter: N/A

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if( re)elected as a city councillor?

I think the main issues are the lack of affordable housing, both to buy and to rent, pollution, litter and anti-social behaviour. I’m also concerned about the number of, often long-standing, local businesses closing down. There needs to be a focus on these issues through the planning process and also by fostering a sense of community.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

As a member of the Lincoln Greenpeace group, I have campaigned for many years on environmental issues. The Green Party is concerned about these issues, and how they will affect Lincoln in the future, but is also concerned about our public services and building the local economy.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I sing with the Nettleham Community Choir, also known as the Mighty Horde – there are quite a lot of us!

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Janusz Kala – Conservative

Age: N/A

Marital Status: Married

Twitter: N/A

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if( re)elected as a city councillor?

I feel can make a worthwhile contribution to the Park area, lobbying for new investment into the area. I am keen to tackle the immediate needs of residents in respect of anti-social behaviour, traffic congestion and lack of parking

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

In my career I have worked as a police officer, set up my own successful business in financial services and now work for an international hotel chain.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I have lived in the UK for 11 years and in the Park area for nine years.

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Helena Mair – Labour

Age: 51

Marital Status: Married

Twitter: helenamair

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if (re)elected as a city councillor?

Park ward has a diverse, vibrant community and I will work with the city council and community groups to help create a thriving, safe and healthy neighbourhood for everyone to live and work in.

As your councillor I would:

• Campaign to improve and increase our council housing stock and affordable housing in the ward.
• Campaign to protect community facilities within the ward
• Work with the city council to support people living on a low income.
• Be a strong voice for residents of the ward.
• Work with the city council to tackle issues at a local level.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

I was born and brought up in Park ward and spent a very happy childhood in the area. I went to Bishop King School and my father worked in the local foundry. I still live in the city with my husband and three teenage children.

I have been an active Labour Party campaigner all of my life and have campaigned on many issues – health and welfare, housing, childcare and the economy. I believe that we should all live in a fair and just society and that we should all be able to access healthcare and education.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I ran a successful community campaign against the closure of Surestart Children’s Centres earlier this year which forced Lincolnshire County Council to guarantee funding for the next two years.

I believe that supporting children in the early years broadens their opportunities in later life.

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Sean Oxspring – Liberal Democrats

Age: 24

Marital Status: Single

Twitter: OxyOxspring

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if (re)elected as a city councillor?

Fly tipping is one of the major issues affecting Park ward, the watercourses are full of rubbish and mattresses left in the streets are commonplace, we’ve already started reporting these incidents with our local action team.

Potholes in the local area have been fixed using short term repair methods, which degrade faster and cost more in the
long run: this needs to stop immediately.

I would also push to ensure that community building projects such as Green Synergy’s Sincil Bank allotment are promoted as much as possible: improving community spirit and developing successfully managed green spaces within the local area.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

I have not lived in Lincoln all my life, I chose to move back here after studying at Lincoln University because I loved the city so much. I’m new to politics, having only taken an active role in it because I want to make a difference in the city that I care about.

I’m not stifled by ideology and rhetoric. On top of this I am an expert in computer science, having ran a videogame design studio for two years: I think this knowledge will come in handy when it comes to improving the council’s clunky online and digital services.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

This is very difficult for me as my life is an open book: I suppose one interesting thing is that I’m in the process of writing a novel with a friend of mine? It’s kinda strange and involves zombies and time travel. I’m a big fan of doing anything creative.

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Aarron Smith – Liberal Democrats

Age: 30

Marital Status: Living With Partner

Twitter: aarron_smith

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if (re)elected as a city councillor?

Park ward is a large and fragmented ward with several distinct sub areas, each with their own priorities. One particular issue is the fact we need resources for the young to help get them off the streets and out of trouble.

We also need to tackle the issue of poor quality rental accommodation in the ward. We believe a Landlord Licensing Scheme should be implemented to improve the quality of all rental property across the city.

I would also hold regular sessions to help support people with employment and organise local recruitment workshops.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

I believe in a fair society where everyone deserves to have a voice, everyone deserves a good standard of living and everyone deserves to live without prejudice or discrimination.

I believe that the people should be involved in running their communities and as a community we can fight poverty and ignorance. It is important to elect Liberal Democrat councillors to ensure that everyone is represented fairly and equally.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I met the Queen when I received my Queen Scout Award.

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Liam Sperrin – Conservative

Age: N/A

Marital Status: N/A

Twitter: N/A

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if( re)elected as a city councillor?

I am very keen to work and campaign on the issues I know are important to my local community, not least the local traffic system and lack of parking. I also believe the Park can benefit from increased tourism to the area after the completion of the Eastern Bypass and improved travel links to the city.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

I work for a well-known Lincolnshire food store and prior to this was in a paid apprenticeship organising social events at my local community centre.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I am a big fan of Lincoln’s heritage sites such as the Cathedral and Priory Church of St Catherine in our area.

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Allegra Wild – Green

Age: 35

Marital Status: Rather Not Say

Twitter: N/A

What are the main issues affecting your ward, and how would you address them if (re)elected as a city councillor?

The main issue that affects everyone in Park ward is the high levels of pollution. We lose years of our lives because of this and if elected I will do everything I can to make Park ward a healthier place to live.

We want to keep our green spaces and preserve our heritage sites. I’m opposed to the cuts to South Park Fire Station. I would also increase fines for littering and dog fouling.

What makes you different to the other candidates in your ward?

People say they will vote for me as I’m genuinely committed to improving the quality of life for everyone in Park ward in any way I can. Green Party voices in the city council will bring a much more rational and careful approach especially looking at building on flood plains. I enjoy living here and I will strive to solve any problems presented to me.

Tell us something interesting about you that not many people know.

I’m learning Gaelige.