ST PETER’S has been as safe a seat as they come for the Conservatives at recent elections and the party with the overall majority on Worcestershire County Council will be hoping for a comfortable victory again next month.

Former city mayor Steve Mackay will be standing for re-election for the Conservatives in St Peter’s having first been elected four years ago with 52 per cent of the vote - 651 votes ahead of the Green Party.

The division has been comfortably held by the Conservatives over the years, as well as the two city council seats - one of which is held by Steve Mackay who claimed a victory with 55 per cent of the vote in 2019.

Buoyed by victories in Battenhall and a 1,000-vote increase in its vote in the county council election in 2017, the Green Party is certainly hopefully of causing an upset and has put a lot of time and effort in its attempt to close the gap.

The Greens have put forward campaigner Tom Piotrowski to fight for the seat and if anybody is going to come close to toppling the Tories in St Peter’s it would be the Greens.

Labour came third in 2017 with just nine per cent of the vote and the Liberal Democrats did not field a candidate.

Ken Carpenter, who is also standing in the city council elections in the Battenhall ward, will be standing for the Liberal Democrats in St Peter’s this time round with Edward Kimberley representing the Labour Party.

As they have been for years, the many details of the county’s huge planning blueprint the South Worcestershire Development Plan (SWDP), as well as the ongoing review of the document, remain key and crucial issues. The prospect of a traveller site in St Peter’s has also been a hot topic in recent months. The ongoing work to dual the Southern Link Road, and the new walking and cycling bridge, coupled with the prospect of thousands of homes being built around the area means access to facilities constantly remains the subject of much discussion.

KEN CARPENTER (LIB DEM)

“Ken was educated in Cambridge and joined the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment in 1987, where he worked in an international team on an airborne collision avoidance system that is now carried on nearly all passenger aircraft. He has previously served as a councillor in Worcester and Malvern Hills.

“Politicians evade; I hope I do not. If elected, I will listen and represent the interests of Battenhall and St Peters. I want Worcester to be vibrant and community focused, with clean air, and green spaces. Public transport needs to be attractive, frequent and stitched together, so that use of the car can be reduced.

“The city and the county need to prepare for further climate change and work to be carbon neutral. We need a green economy and skilled employees. Social care needs better funding and a closer relationship with the NHS, and personal carers need increased support.”

EDWARD KIMBERLEY (LABOUR)

“I am standing for Worcestershire County Council in order to hold the Tories there to account.

“They have weaponised their long-standing majority to silence any and all opposition, to impede the asking of questions by members of the local community and choking Worcester with their endless and frivolous road-widening schemes.

“Unless our city is to become nothing more than a glorified drive-through on the M5, it is time for a change in direction.

Our paths should be walkable, our bus services should be expanded and should run on time, and our public services should be developed to meet the needs of our growing population, not cut back to the core as the Tories have done.

“Labour’s manifesto for Worcestershire has people at its heart, giving pride of place to the education of our children and young people and caring for our ageing population.”

STEVE MACKAY (CONSERVATIVE)

“Looking back over the past four years there have been numerous issues that residents have raised with me, from parking problems to securing our parks against trespassing; I have always responded.

“As a councillor who has helped set up a support group for those who had to isolate during the pandemic, and assisting with the food bank supply in St Peter's, I want to continue to help and be part of the community. As a Conservative councillor I want to ensure that taxpayers do get value for money by keeping tax low and look to other ways and means of finding income. At the same time, I will promote policies that tackle issues helping those adults and children whose needs are greatest.

"St Peter's is a really great place. It’s safe and crime is very low which is something I want to continue to see. I hope to serve the community as I have for these past four years, with dedication and common sense.”

TOM PIOTROWSKI (GREEN)

“I have lived in Worcester for the last 15 years and this wonderful city has become my home. I also met and married my wife here, who teaches in one of our secondary schools.

“In my day job I work for one of the top affordable housing providers in the country. Previously, my career included a number of project management and business development roles in both the private and public sectors.

"Over the last year I have spoken to hundreds of residents in St. Peter’s and Battenhall who shared their views and suggestions about community improvements.

"If elected, I have only one priority: representing those views and aspirations at County Hall. The residents of St. Peter’s deserve to be heard.

“I have already had the privilege of helping many local residents to resolve issues and will continue to get things done for them throughout the year.”