Election profiles: Worcester City Council's Bedwardine ward

This ward, which sits right next to St John's, has proved a very happy hunting ground for the Tories and expectations are high of a repeat.

But don't expect it to be simple here - there are no less than seven candidates vying for it, the same as last year.

This time around it's the turn of Councillor Marc Bayliss to defend his seat, the deputy city council leader who carries a high profile as the cabinet member for economic prosperity.

Cllr Bayliss has helped push through many of the significant regeneration projects in the city, including having a hand in the current £24 million Cathedral Plaza revamp and the city centre street resurfacing, which is about to see upwards of £500,000 sunk into Broad Street and The Shambles.

In 2011 Cllr Bayliss secured 1,464 votes, a comfortable 635 majority over Labour activist Gaynor Pritchard, who is standing against him once again.

But instead of five candidates the last time he contested it in 2011 it's now seven, with the Green Party standing former Labour leader and city council leader David Barlow, who spent 19 years on the authority from 1985 to 2004.

Mr Barlow dumped his Labour membership after 30 years back in 2011, criticising the all-women's shortlist used to make Councillor Joy Squires the party's parliamentary candidate.

The veteran politician was council leader in 2000 and joined the Greens in 2013, citing their left wing policies.

Peter McNally, who is also standing as a Worcester parliamentary candidate, will contest this seat too for the left-wing Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC), while Lib Dem organiser Mike Mullins, who does much of the party's work behind the scenes, is involved too.

Both Mr McNally and Mr Mullins contested it last year and will hope to have grown their support.

Throw in UKIP member Owen Cleary and the BNP's Jennifer Whitwam and the Conservatives have challengers from every conceivable angle.

Because the ward is so close to St John's parking, congestion and the success of the shops are vitally important issues.

It is also home to the historic Cinderella Sports Ground, which is getting a £365,000 renovation under a joint council, Heart of Worcestershire College and Sport England deal due for completion by April 2016.

DAVID BARLOW (GREEN)

I have been associated with Worcester for much of my life, having attended school in the city and now living near the city centre for the past 33 years.

I was a member of Worcester City Council from 1985-2004, where, in addition to being leader of the council I chaired several committees. I also served as a county councillor (Hereford & Worcestershire) from 1993 to 1997, where I chaired the Competitive Services Board and Personnel.

In addition, I chaired South Worcestershire PCT throughout the whole of its 5-year existence.

As a councillor, I worked tirelessly for ward residents and was much involved in numerous outside bodies and Local Government Associations, both regionally and nationally.

Having terminated my membership of the Labour Party, I joined the Green Party in 2013 because I believe that the Green Party offers exactly the kind of credible, progressive policies which I have always supported and from which the Labour Party has drifted away.

MARC BAYLISS (CON)

It has been my pleasure to have represented Bedwardine since 2011. Over the last four years I have been able to help local residents with a wide range of issues.

Locally, I have supported the formation of the St John’s Traders’ Association. I supported extra money for the Lower Wick swimming pool and have campaigned to protect and enhance the sporting facilities at the Cinderella Ground.

As deputy leader of the city council, I have championed initiatives to help businesses grow and create jobs in Worcester, I have led the campaign to reduce car parking charges and to keep the council tax down.

Working with Robin Walker, I have lobbied the Government for the final resources necessary to complete the dualling of the Southern Link Road from Powick Island to the M5 junction 7.

Locally, I have also supported extra money to reverse Labour’s cuts to street cleaning and identified £20,000 to help replace and refurbish street nameplates.

With your support, we will continue to keep Worcester and Bedwardine moving in the right direction.

OWEN CLEARY (UKIP)

For many years, I was disinterested in politics and politicians: they looked, sounded and acted the same; differing only by the colours of their ties.

They didn’t speak about things that mattered to me and those I knew. They were, and still are, living in a bubble.

UKIP councillors will put the ‘local’ back into ‘local council’. We’ll re-connect with the people of Worcester and make our council more democratic: we want all city councillors involved in all executive decisions, not just a ‘cabinet’ of six.

We’ll fight for more powers devolved to our council.

We want locals to have a say in developments on our greenfields and we’ll ensure the streets are tidy and welcoming.

Many voters don’t know the name of their local councillor - I doubt it’s the voters’ faults.

Only UKIP have pledged to make our local council more accountable and democratic. We’ve no desire to join a gravy train; we’re just local folk looking to improve our city.

I live in Worcester and work in the financial services industry.

PETE MCNALLY (TUSC)

If elected I will oppose any more cuts but also organise active opposition to them.  The poor, elderly and disabled have suffered most but all workers have lost out while the richest get even richer.

I will fight to raise living standards now - a £10 per hour minimum wage - so work really pays without needing means-tested benefits and for full employment rights from day one.

I will support trade unions in their efforts to defend jobs, pay and pensions.

Local councillors have had the chance to oppose cuts inflicted by central government but have failed to do so.  They have also failed to expose the crisis in our NHS. 

They could have used their position to defend jobs and services but chose to do as the government said.

I will propose the council draw up a budget based on what Worcester needs and organise a campaign to put pressure on the government to provide the finance.

The money to fulfil this is there if the richest people and companies who have massive wealth pay their share.

MIKE MULLINS (LD)

I moved to Worcester with Pam and our family over 30 years ago.

We think it’s a great place to live and work. I am a design engineer and volunteer driver for several charities.

My priorities are to attract more high tech jobs into the area and to improve the central area of St John's.

Although there has been some excellent new services (sports centre, NHS dentist etc) some parts in the shopping area are run down and ugly.

The old Smoke Stack pub and cinema have been derelict for nearly 10 years and form a continuing eyesore for residents, shoppers and commuters.

I would also try ease congestion in St John's, this is critical now, due to the large housing developments being built and planned on the west of the city.

These developments are putting further pressure on dwindling green open spaces which need to be carefully managed to prevent overdevelopment.

I think it is vital to preserve local government and resist any further Government cuts.

GAYNOR PRITCHARD (LAB)

Originally from South Wales I have lived in Worcester with my family for 13 years.

I worked in the care industry, and it pained me to see people’s needs reduced to just the basics, with nobody to advocate or shout for those who don’t know their way round the system.

I am heavily involved with St. Barnabas Church and help run a youth group.

I know this part of the city well and know that for some time it has been somewhat forgotten by local councils.

The issues of traffic, access to facilities, and balancing development while protecting the harmony of the area.

I believe Labour can bring a fairer deal to the area, with better communication with residents.

My children attended Worcester schools and my youngest is now at our university: I have experience of the advantages and disadvantages of the growth in further and higher education in the city.

I am enthusiastic, committed and hard-working. I believe we should have more women on the council to better represent a range of ideas and experiences.

I have no other representative commitments am able to concentrate on representing the people of Bedwardine for their local city issues.

JENNIFER WHITWAM (BNP)

If you vote for the other parties you will be lied to and betrayed again. Labour the warmongers, who want open borders and immigration.

The Tories, who promised a referendum yet failed to deliver it, also failed to cut immigration.

The Lib Dems who do as the Tories say. The Green Party want an amnesty for 600,000 illegal immigrants to stay here.

Ukip who are not what they appear, but in fact are just Tories on media hype.

If you want action on Britain's problems vote BNP.

On a local level we would offer free parking at the hospital and priority for Worcester people for jobs, training and housing.