May 2023 PIP Candidates

I live in Benfleet, and have done so for the vast majority of my life, attending local schools. I am happily married and have 2 daughters and 5 grandchildren who all live in the borough. My career was in banking, working in the City, and I am now retired.

It’s always been important to me that I give back to the community, and at various times have run 10 marathons, raising money for Childline and the NSPCC, played for and managed a local football team, plus my wife and I ran a Dementia Foundation, where we were very proud of what was achieved.

From childhood I have enjoyed the environment in which we live, with readily accessible green spaces and woodlands. I became involved with The People's Independent Party when I saw the very real danger that these open spaces would be lost under the proposed Conservative Local Plan.

I am aligned with PIP’s aims of representing resident's views, maintaining our Greenbelt, and financial responsibility on how our council tax is spent.

I believe my experience with managing financial budgets, finding practical solutions to complex problems, managing teams and organisations, plus concern for our environment would make me a good fit as your local councillor, and I would be very proud if you voted for me to represent you in St. Peter’s ward.

Thank You

 I work as a Professional Indemnity Underwriter for a London based company and have recently been appointed as a school governor for The Appleton School. I have lived in Castle point most of my life attending Kents Hill and King John schools as a child. I am married and have four daughters that attend local primary and secondary schools.

As a fellow resident of St George’s ward I will fight tirelessly to prevent the destruction of our Greenbelt at Glebelands. A development of any size on Glebelands would be catastrophic to our local area, the additional cars will further exacerbate traffic issues at Tarpots and surrounding roads will be busier as cars try to find alternative routes. Furthermore, it will push our already stretched healthcare and schooling resources to the limit. Our Green Belt across the borough must remain preserved for future generations to enjoy and benefit from.

Looking around Castle Point it’s easy to feel short-changed by the services currently being provided. The condition of our roads and footpaths is disgraceful, I will be lobbying this issue with Essex County Council.

A vote for me is a vote for a passionate, community minded, deep-rooted local resident ready to serve fellow residents.

I stand for fairness, transparency and honesty.

I have lived in Benfleet nearly all of my life, as has my wife Mandy. We have two children who both attended the same primary school here that I did. My mother and my wife’s parents both live in Benfleet. I lived in St. Mary’s ward when I was younger and for the past 16 years on Mill Hill in Boyce ward. I presently run my own banking consultancy company, having worked in banking for several years beforehand. In the past, I have been a school governor, a tutor, a member of various community and fundraising groups and helped run a local boys football team for ten years.

A founding member of Residents Against Glyders Expansion (RAGE), I have campaigned tirelessly to preserve this area of Green Belt from development. I am committed to helping save our Borough’s Green Belt by helping to get the right Local Plan in place, that we residents both want and need. Thankfully, The People’s Independent Party (PIP) honoured their election promise to withdraw the previous Local Plan and work is now earnestly underway on a new one. Every decision taken by our local council should always be in the best interests of the community they are employed to serve.

PIP stands for everything that I believe in; honesty, transparency, accountability, and local people (like you and I) listening to and representing the residents. And most importantly of all, to protect the precious Green Belt.

I have lived in St. Mary’s ward for the past 38 years having moved to Benfleet where my husband and I married and made our home. Our 3 children all attended local primary and secondary schools, 2 of whom still live in the borough. We now have 3 grandchildren whom we adore.

I graduated from university with a teaching degree, and taught Maths at secondary level at a school within Castle Point. When my children were young, I took a break from teaching to care for them. After several years as a stay-at-home mum, I returned to teaching Maths in 2 of the local borough schools.

My husband set up an education services company in 2010, of which I am a director. I now provide private Maths tutoring to local families. I also provide childcare and respite care for my grandchildren.

I have not been interested in local politics until recently, having despaired of party politics at the local elections over the decades where local residents’ needs and interests are not represented. The appearance of the People’s Independent Party has been a game changer for me, providing our borough with local people who represent local people. I am keen to stand as a candidate to represent local residents like myself, to be a voice for local people on local issues. I particularly want to ensure equality of provision for those who are disabled.

 I was born and raised in Thundersley and have lived in Castle Point for most of my life. I currently work as a team leader in the utility industry. I am married and we have two children who both attended local schools. I live near The Common in Cedar Hall ward and love the area, in which I grew up. I played for Thundersley Rovers football club from the age of 6 until I was 40.

Like many other residents, I have not been happy with the long-standing out of touch Conservative way of dealing with issues, specifically with the Local Plan. PIP arrived on the scene which gave me hope that we could have an independent representation and save the Thundersley Green Belt.

I want to help the local community and continue the great work achieved by the party’s policy to protect all the green spaces and the wildlife we have locally. But more importantly, be Local People for Local People.

My promise to you is, to be honest, and be an independent voice to represent the Cedar Hall residents.

I have lived in Victoria Ward of Castle Point for over 22 years. I’m married with 2 children, 4 grandchildren, 2 dogs and some chickens!

I retired from a 30 year career with Essex Police, on the ‘front line’ serving as a Constable and Sergeant. After retiring I worked 1:1 supporting a child with severe Cerebral Palsy in a nearby Junior School, a role which I felt privileged to do.

In Castle Point, particularly in Victoria Ward, we are blessed with much woodland and Green Belt spaces, which I cherish as these are crucial for residents' physical/mental health and well-being. I am grateful to the Essex Wildlife Trust, of which I am a member, for the work they do in looking after much of the woodland areas.

The threat to these areas by the last Conservative Councils Local Plan and their broken promises inspired me to get involved with the Peoples Independent Party (PIP).

PIP and the Canvey Independent councillors have already rejected the Conservative Plan to build over 5,000 houses (much on Green Belt) since gaining control of the Council last May and are working hard on a new plan with lower house numbers and prioritising Brown Field. If the people of Victoria are kind enough to vote for me I promise to work hard to protect this Borough from overdevelopment and protect our green spaces.

As a keen road cyclist, I am particularly interested in road infrastructure and road safety. I am a supporter of the ‘20 Is Plenty’ group in Daws Heath which seeks to improve road safety, particularly in St Michaels Road, Bramble Road and Daws Heath Road Areas.

My Police background would enable me to support and advise fellow councillors and residents on Police & Crime related matters and concerns.

A vote for me is a vote for a local person, committed to protecting this area and I will fight any future developments that attempt to concrete over our green spaces.

I have lived in Castle Point most of my life. I love the ability to immerse myself in either a friendly town backdrop or a peaceful natural environment such as Hadleigh Country Park. I am an active park runner and part of several sporting clubs. I work in London for a global auditing firm, which has honed my skills to hold strong ethical integrity, communicate transparently and deliver on communal goals regardless of facing adversity or overwhelming odds. I don't step away from challenge and I genuinely care about our community.

My values and beliefs align with those of the Peoples Independent Party to be a voice of the residents, where they historically could not. We need to listen to residents to represent them and fight for what they believe in. We need to protect the Green Belt and utilise Brownfield sites, with a focus on affordable housing.

We have a chance to build a great independent council to hold ourselves accountable and actually make a change to Castle Point for future generations.

We can't make promises, but we can certainly make a change if you stand with us.

Please vote PIP and together, let's create OUR future.

I was born and raised on the East Coast of South Africa and enjoy surfing,  biking, photography and wildlife.  I work in engineering, specialising in digital information management and have been lucky enough to work all around the world which has given me a unique insight to different cultures.

I have lived in Castle Point and Benfleet for 17 years with my incredible wife and our young daughter.  My wife is a third-generation resident. We are both keen to preserve what makes Castle Point so special; our close-knit community and the green spaces. 

I believe that a Borough Council is there to do good, be transparent and look after the local residents, not their masters in Parliament!

This is why I have joined The People’s Independent Party; we come from all walks of life and various political backgrounds but we all have one thing in common; doing what is right for Castle Point!

I want to improve facilities for our children and families, reduce development on Green Belt, pressurise Essex County Council to repair our roads and do whatever we can to make Castle Point a safer place to live.  I want to see proper fiscal transparency in our Essex County Council, and positive action too, rather than photo opportunities when one pothole is filled in.

I am not a politician; I simply want to see a council that operates for the residents, and this is why I have chosen to stand as a councillor for our beloved community.

Please vote for The People’s Independent Party to save Castle Point and save our community.