As your local candidate for County Councillor in the elections next year I wanted to write and introduce myself to you and your family.
It is always a great honour to be able to represent where you grew up. The first year of my life was spent in the flat above the Costcutter on First Avenue, we then moved to Bramall Lane, where I called home until I was 16. My dad Hilary was a local teacher at King Edward’s and my mum Isabelle, a probation officer and my wonderful grandfather, Ivo Knowles, was Rector of St Mary’s. My family all have a history of giving back to Stafford, so it comes of no surprise to my family that I am following in their footsteps.
Despite going on to attend Alleyne’s in Stone for high school, I went to Holmcroft for both infants and middle and remember (like a lot of you) the good old days of Mr Caldwell, Mr Harrison, Mrs Savageri, Miss Stubbs, Mrs Lewis and all the rest of them! I loved growing up in Stafford North and have some fantastic, treasured, childhood memories.
I think in those days we took a lot of things for granted and life was simpler. No one now believes you could hang around the Tillington Hotel to get autographs of top footballers (I will never forget the day I met Ossie Ardiles in 1981 or the Luton Team out for a walk on the day they had to win at Manchester City to stay up in 1983). And there was always a game of football or cricket to be had on the vast playing fields of the area, or tennis on the Tillington courts.
Professionally, I worked for the Bank of England and then in the international financial markets. I now run three small businesses: consulting, hospitality and railway locomotive leasing - so I am used to getting things done!
After leaving school I attended Uni at King’s College, Cambridge, reading economics and history. I later served in the Army Reserve, which taught me a lot about determination and earlier this year I set up a foundation to encourage resilience in young adults through outdoor leadership. Currently, I am a school governor and although my wife Lori and I have no children, we make up for it with a very active English Bulldog called Atticus!
Stafford North and its people formed my values. They want someone who will be straight with them, even if views differ, and fight hard for what they value.
I am following Councillor Jonathan Price who has been a great servant to this area. He has achieved many things - from millions in extra school funding, to getting Stone Road and many others resurfaced. Without his tenacity, the money for this would not have been found.
Borough Councillor Bryan Cross and I have built a strong rapport and will be working together closely to serve you.
My local priorities are:
· Keep Council Tax Down. It’s your money so let’s keep it as low as possible. No excuses.
· Green Space Protection. I benefited hugely as a kid from all the green areas in Stafford North, and local families should enjoy the same opportunity. I will have zero tolerance for encroachment on the lungs of Stafford. I will not let Labour’s plans to build upon green spaces go unchallenged.
· Sandon Road Flooding and Beaconside Traffic. I will make sure that we continue to push hard on sorting the Sandon Road out, and that the developers are held to account on Beaconside.
· Community Hub for Parkside and Marston Grange. This is going to be tough to do, but I want to get the ball rolling anyway. I support a community speed watch for Parkside.
· Roads. I hate potholes. Let’s ensure that the roads in Stafford North remain in the best possible condition. They are the best in the county according to the latest survey data. In 2024 the County has added an additional eight surfacing crews, and a lot of progress is being made, despite the frustrations we all feel at times.
Finally, although these are local elections, the truth is that they are also a referendum on the Labour government so far.
If you think Sir Keir Starmer is doing a fine job and you liked the Budget, the Winter Fuel Allowance abolition and higher bus fares, and you don’t begrudge him his free spectacles and other gear, then thank him by voting Labour.
If not, the best way to send a message is to vote for me, Mike Newton, the Conservative candidate.
A vote for Reform will let Labour in by accident, and if Labour ends up running Staffordshire, standby for enormous rises in Council Tax, poorer services and bad spending. This will result in an uncertain future and the possibility of forcing bankruptcy, similar to other Labour-run areas like Birmingham. Let’s not allow Labour in via the back door as happened in the General and Borough Elections.
Thank you for reading this, and please feel free to contact me with any concerns or issues you would like to raise, and as we head towards Christmas, my very best wishes to you and your family for the holiday season.