Voters in Edgeley and Cheadle Heath will go to the polls next week to elect a new councillor following the death of town hall stalwart Sheila Bailey. The late Coun Bailey was hailed as a ‘titan’ of Stockport politics by her Labour colleagues, while figures from all parties paid fulsome tribute to her contribution over more than three decades.
Now the communities she served since 1990 must choose her replacement from three candidates vying for the opportunity to carry on her work. The ward is traditionally a Labour stronghold - councillors Matt Wynne and Louise Heywood currently holding two of the three seats.
But the by-election comes against a backdrop of internal splits in the group, and it remains to be seen whether this could open the door for a surprise result for the Lib Dems or Greens. The by-election will be held on October 13.
READ MORE : ‘She was a titan’: Tributes flood in for ‘formidable’ Stockport councillor who ‘never stopped fighting’ to improve people’s lives
Below are the three candidates and their pitch to voters.
Robbie Cowbury - Liberal Democrats
Robbie lives locally with his partner in the heart of Edgeley. He has spent his working life supporting charities and community groups, with a focus on homelessness, poverty and inequality. Through this work he's gained a deep understanding of the challenges residents in the area might be facing as the cost of living bites, but also what can make a difference during difficult times.
He wants to use this experience to support local residents in Edgeley and Cheadle Heath, where he feels Labour are currently more interested in fighting each other than fighting for the needs of the local community.
His key priorities build on the work the Lib Dems have started since taking control of Stockport Council in May, protecting local resources like the library, the one-stop shop for financial advice, and freezing Council Tax to help local people with the cost of living.
His other big concern is reducing crime and anti-social behaviour so that everyone can feel comfortable accessing the local parks and open spaces. As a keen runner, he knows how valuable these are to the community.
If you want to ask a question, that's probably the best place to catch him: pounding the streets in his yellow running top.
Phil Handscomb - The Green Party
"I was raised in the south but came up to Manchester for university, ended up settling nearby in Stockport about 30 years ago. I worked as an electronic engineer, mainly in the manufacturing industry, but have now taken early retirement.
“I'm a keen cyclist, so hope for good cycling infrastructure (thereby keeping us out of the way of cars) as well as improvements to public transport. I'm a volunteer in two charities - one runs a community boat on the canal near Poynton, the other is an arts & well-being organisation in Trafford.
“Recent events on the other side of Europe and their local consequences, i.e. increased energy bills, should have highlighted yet more reason to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. A lot of small changes can be made locally, and with local benefits.
“Just one example of these being home insulation, and since most of the time your heating is just compensating for heat loss, increasing insulation (preferably as part of a local government initiative) can make a considerable reduction to your bills, (whether ‘capped’ or not) as well as helping, in a small way, with global targets."
Georgia Lynott - Labour
“I am honoured to be given the chance to represent Edgeley and Cheadle Heath, though sadly it comes in the wake of a great loss for our community.
“I hope to build on the work done by Coun Sheila Bailey over her 32 years representing the ward by continuing to champion council-built housing, greener transport, and investment in our vital community centres and parks.
“I pledge to work as hard as I can for all residents and listen to their needs in order that I can best serve the local community.
“Labour achieved great things in Stockport when we ran the council – Sheila’s work creating Viaduct Housing, the One Stockport Local Plan, the establishment of a Mayoral Development Corporation, securing investment for a zero-emission greener bus fleet, and work on a new transport interchange that is Metrolink ready.
“The Lib Dems have done nothing except put off big decisions and claim credit for Labour’s achievements. I will fight hard to be part of a winning team that will bring the council back under Labour control so that we can make Stockport a fairer, greener place to live for all.”
Polling stations will open from 7am on Thursday, October 13 and close at 10pm. If you want to vote by proxy, or cancel or amend an existing proxy vote, you must apply by 5pm on Wednesday 5 October 2022
The deadline for registering to vote in this by-election was Tuesday 27 September 2022. Further details can be found here: https://www.stockport.gov.uk/topic/your-next-election-or-referendum
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