Stroud District Council candidate profiles - Berkeley Vale

Each party candidate will give voters information about who they are, what their pledges are and why you should vote for them.

These profiles will be posted alphabetically by ward over the next week.

To kick us off, today we feature Amberley and Woodchester, Berkeley Vale, Bisley and Cainscross.

Stay posted throughout the week to see your candidates go head to head.

There are 10 candidates standing in this ward. Number of seats - three

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• Mike Stayte - Liberal Democrats

Berkley Vale Mike was born in Stroud and was educated at Marling School. He graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in geology.

For the past 28 years, Mike has run the local family firm, John Stayte Services. He is married with three grown up children and one grand-daughter.

He has been both a District Councillor and a Slimbridge School governor in the past.

He is also currently serving as a local magistrate. He has been a Slimbridge Parish Councillor for the past eight years, and has always taken a keen interest in local affairs.

Mike has supported various local groups such as Slimbridge Horse Show, Slimbridge Cricket Club and the Slimbridge Social Club.

On a district level, Mike would support the recent local plan and use it to limit local development to infill only.

He would also like to see the District Council be less Stroud oriented and would like to see more involvement of the local town and parish councils.

He would also like to see a better relationship between the Development Control Committee and local councils. It is generally perceived that “what the District wants, the District gets”.

On a local level, Mike would like to see a reduction in the speed limit of the A38 in the Cambridge and Gossington area.

This would allow local communities to “tidy up” the Slimbridge roundabout to make an inviting gateway to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust.

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• Rob Jewell - Liberal Democrat

I am married and have a grown up daughter living in Bristol. I have been actively involved in local affairs for many years.

I was a parish councillor for over 40 years, am currently Village Hall chairman and am joint editor of a community magazine.

I was a lead member of the team that created way marked footpaths across and around the Arlingham Peninsular.

I was also a member of the former Shaprness-Gloucester Canal Forum that met at the Black Shed, Slimbridge.

My mother’s family came from Berkeley and I was born in Arlingham and started my education in my father’s home town of Southampton.

When we returned to Gloucestershire I went to the village school then attended Marling School and later Hartpury College.

I took over the tenancy of the family farm in 1977 and eventually bought it. For the last 10 years I have been farming to Higher Level Stewardship standard.

I have been a member of the Liberal Party and Liberal Democrats since the 1970s, sometimes taking office at constituency level but usually working at local level.

The Lib Dems have now given me the chance to serve the community in Berkeley Vale.

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Nick Easby - Liberal Democrats

I was born in Cardiff 62 years ago. I spent an itinerant childhood following my father’s job around southern UK, then in 1980 I married Sian and we set up house in Berkeley High Street where we have lived ever since.

I joined the Liberal Democrats last year and was rather surprised but at the same time very honoured to be asked to stand for election to represent the people of Berkeley, the town which I have been proud to call my home for most of my adult life.

I am very confident however that with the support of my two colleagues Rob and Mike, who both have an exemplary record of service to the community, I will very quickly get to learn the ropes and become an effective and enthusiastic representative for the people of Berkeley.

By profession I am a chartered mechanical engineer. After graduating from Imperial College I worked at British Aerospace in Filton.

Since then I have worked as a freelance project engineer responsible for design and construction projects in the oil & gas industry. I believe this professional experience of solving conflicting requirements within tight constraints of schedule, cost, safety and environment will be directly relevant to my responsibilities as a district councillor and hope to be able to serve you in this capacity for the next four years.

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• Tom Willetts – Green Party

Tom works as a teacher of children with special educational needs, and moved to Berkeley Vale two years ago.

“Having grown up in a small town in Dorset, I moved here to once again become involved in a rural community,” he said.

“I am pleased to have the opportunity to offer my support to efforts to strengthen local communities and support local people’s access to services and sustainable employment.

“I believe it is important to protect the beautiful countryside we live in, and to support local people in voicing their views on changes and developments in the locality allowing them to express their ideas and concerns.

“If elected I would work hard to ensure local people’s views would be heard and to implement policies that would support the community and the environment around us."

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• Penny Wride – Conservative Party

The new Berkeley Vale ward covers Ham & Stone, Alkington, Hamfallow, Hinton, Slimbridge and Berkeley.

I am very proud to have represented the Vale Ward for six years and served as a parish councillor for nearly 20 years. I have served on the community services committee and audit and standards Committee I am a trustee of Stroud & Cotswold Citizens Advice Bureau and Chairman of Berkeley Nuclear Site Stake holder group.

I was an original member of Energy Severn Vale which was formed over five years ago to address the skills shortages in engineering and the nuclear industry.

I have fully supported the new College which will soon be opened on the old Berkeley Centre Site. This will be a great addition to the educational system in Gloucestershire.

Berkeley Vale Ward has a great deal to offer as a place to live and work. All new housing needs to be planned with care to ensure that the infrastructure is suitable for the expanding needs of the rural community.

Working from home requires a fast and reliable broadband service. Current transport links need to be improved. We have a wonderful environment to attract tourists to the area and this should be promoted.

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• Gordon Craig – Conservative Party

I’ve been district councillor for the Berkeley ward for six years and I’m even more passionate about my local area now than when I started.

I believe that everyone needs encouragement to achieve what they can in life and those who struggle need support.

I’m pleased to have been on the housing committee that just this month brought four new council houses to Fishers Road Berkeley. The first new council houses for decades.

I’m pleased to have been involved with Penny Wride in the new Berkeley Green College which is opening in September and will be a game changer for our area.

Gordon works hard for the local community as a trustee Gloucester Harbour Board He is an organiser of Berkeley Festival, a fundraiser for community library and a stakeholder in Berkeley Green College project.

I’m especially pleased when I can help and support individual people in need.

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• Haydn Jones – Conservative Party

The Berkeley Vale is a unique place to live and work. I know residents value their unspoilt rural landscape and thriving communities.

I live here and share this love of our area. I want to help protect it and our heritage whilst accommodating affordable homes for young people.

It is essential that the council develops its local plan with these priority aims. Helping people shape their community by devolving power is key to our future.

A relentless focus on how constituents money is spent must underpin every council activity. This is more important than ever.

I want to secure a council that helps residents whilst restoring its finances. First class infrastructure is vital to allow our area to prosper. Current roads are simply unacceptable.

I will work with our MP to ensure that The Berkeley Vale benefits from recent announcements of substantial funding for improvements.

I will strive to maintain Berkeley Vale Ward as a living, working community without sacrificing the outstanding heritage and environment that makes it so attractive.

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• Liz Ashton – Labour Party

Liz Ashton was born and bred in Berkeley, educated at Sharpness Primary and Dursley Grammar Schools before becoming a chemist.

After ten years in Africa with her husband and three children, she returned to Berkeley, retraining as a special needs teacher, working at Gloscat and The Shrubberies School.

Liz has been a District Councillor for Berkeley ward for four years, working on the Planning and Environment Committees.

She’s an active campaigner for her local communities setting up the Berkeley Credit Union and Dursley and District U3A. In any spare time, Liz loves to spend time with her three little grandsons.

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• George Knight – Labour Party

George has lived in the Berkeley and Sharpness area since he was four.

He was educated locally at Sharpness Primary School and has worked nearby at Cattle Country Adventure Park since leaving school. In his spare time he is studying for an Open University degree and enjoys playing skittles, badminton and snooker. He has always taken a keen interest in politics both local and national and has been a member of the Labour Party for a number of years.

He would also put our local communities and local residents above party politics – we need to improve our roads, protect our NHS and provide good quality transport.

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• Billy Hunt – Labour Party

I have lived in the Berkeley area all my life, having lived in Sharpness and attending Sharpness Primary School and now living in Berkeley – I work in the area as a Postman.

Parking, potholes and transport are in need of a major review. Housing is of course a major issue and we need a balance of building new homes and protecting the beautiful area we live in.

If elected I would work hard for all the community, it’s an exciting time for our area and I would strive to make sure the benefits are felt by the many and not just the few.