In the run up to the Stroud District Council elections on May 5, the SNJ will be profiling each of the candidates standing in all 27 wards.

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.

Today we feature Severn, Stonehouse, Stroud Central, Farmhill and Paganhill, Slade and Trinity.

Look back at previous articles throughout the week for wards A-R.

Slade - There are three candidates standing in this ward. Number of seats – one.

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  • Vanessa Price - Labour

Vanessa was born and grew up in Stroud and she has worked in the Town for more than 26 yrs.

She has been a School Governor and Parish Councillor for many years and is now serving on Stroud Town Council.

Vanessa is an active campaigner against the Government’s austerity cuts and opposing the incinerator, also a campaigner for Animal welfare, campaigning against Badger culling in the County with strong green credentials including being a trustee for a farm in Nympsfield that is the site of one of the Country's first wind turbine.

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  • Simon Pickering - Green Party

Simon currently represents Slade Ward on Stroud District Council; he is one of our group of six Green Councillors who are currently in a Green, Labour, Liberal collaboration leading the Council.

He is Chair of the Environment Committee, and is thus an automatic member of the Strategy and Resources Committee.

Largely thanks to Simon's energy and enthusiasm, in recent years the council has greatly improved recycling rates (including the introduction of garden waste collection), introduced energy-saving measures for council properties, invested in renewable energy schemes, and achieved carbon-neutral status.

Simon has also supported the ground-breaking SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Scheme) to combat flooding. He has often spoken out against Tory cuts to local councils and services.

He is the Senior Ecologist for Ecotricity. Simon has lived and worked in the Stroud area for over 25 years. He is married with two children at university. He has been a school governor and is currently part of the Stroud Neighbourhood Partnership working for long-term improvements to Stroud Town Centre.

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  • Kris Smith – Conservative

The SNJ was not able to contact Mr Smith for a statement.