I AM 49 years old, born and brought up in Macclesfield Borough and am a Barrister practising in Manchester. I have served as a Cheshire County Councillor since 2001. As a result of sitting as a Councillor, I am a school governor at both a Primary and a Secondary School.
I also sit as a Trustee on two of Cheshire's educational charities. By way of hobby I am a Vice President of the Royal Aero Club of the United Kingdom.
I am standing for election to the Cheshire East Council because I believe that this is a once in a generation chance to have a dramatic effect on how Council services are provided. Cheshire East can start with a blank sheet of paper and doesn't need to follow the old County and Borough models in how services are delivered. Such changes in a Council are much easier to make when it is being newly established, rather than trying to change it once it has become settled in its ways.
I want to see this new Council provide high quality ( at least 4-star ) services with good value for money for the tax payer. To do this we need to invest, most of all, in our schools and highways. We must retain our staff and keep them motivated through this period of transition. The new Council structure must avoid being bureaucratic and wasteful but instead must be lean and responsive to change. Finally, I look forward to serving all the residents of the Macclesfield Forest Ward.
