Lib Dem Candidates for Chadsmead ward campaign for local election votes

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Three Liberal Democrat candidates for Chadsmead ward have issued a joint statement urging voters to back them in the council elections on 4 May. Paul Ray, Miles Trent and Hugh Ashton have said:

"Lib Dem candidates are hardworking and they care about our community. We have solutions to make Chadsmead better for all, and we take action to get things done. The Conservatives who are running Lichfield councils are simply not delivering. There is still no promised cinema or leisure centre, and the Birmingham Road site opposite Lichfield City train station is still a wasteland."

Paul Ray will contest the Chadsmead ward in both the District and City Council elections on 4 May. Paul has been a councillor on Lichfield District and City Councils for Chadsmead ward since 2016 and was re-elected in May 2019. He has a track record of taking time to deal with local residents' concerns on issues such as: planning, housing, public nuisance, traffic and road safety. He is married with three children; and has family of all generations living in Lichfield, which gives him a good understanding of the issues affecting all age groups in the area. As a partner in a law firm specialising in finance law advising in the private and public sectors, he has relevant experience of the pressures affecting business and the public sector.

Miles Trent is standing to represent Chadsmead ward on Lichfield District Council. Miles has lived in Chadsmead Ward for the last nine years with his wife and two young children. He is a criminal lawyer working in the civil service and is passionate about preserving a strong and effective public sector. Miles has been a hard-working Councillor on Lichfield City Council since 2019, representing Chadsmead Ward. On the City Council he has been active on the Grants and Neighbourhood Plan working groups, which help to allocate council funds to deserving charities and community projects. Miles has helped Chadsmead residents with a range of issues in recent years, including road repairs, drainage issues, replacement signage and improvements to footpath lighting. In his spare time Miles is a keen guitarist and short story writer.

Hugh Ashton is standing to represent Chadsmead ward on Lichfield City Council. He returned to Lichfield in 2016 after living and working in Japan for 28 years and quickly became involved with many local activities and organisations. Hugh works as a writer, with many published stories and novels. In 2019 he narrowly missed out on a place in the Mastermind final! He has been a councillor on Lichfield City Council, representing Garrick Road ward (which is now being subsumed into Chadsmead Ward) since 2019.

The Lib Dems have a proven track record of delivering for residents in Chadsmead ward:

• £250,000 has been secured with Staffordshire County Highways for improvements to the dangerous Grange Lane / Eastern Avenue junction.
• Redevelopment of the derelict Windmill pub had stalled until Cllr Paul Ray got involved. Now there are 12 new homes on the site.
• Liaising with Staffordshire Police to address boy-racing on Weston Road.
• Tree maintenance improved on Weston Road, Dimbles Lane and Anson Avenue.
• Cllr Ray has brought agencies together to make improvements in the Oakenfield area (LDC, Staffs Police and Bromford Housing).
• Cllr Miles Trent worked on a successful campaign to reduce the number of primary schools which have to close to become polling stations on election day - a positive move for both pupils and working parents.
• A motion proposed by Cllr Hugh Ashton was passed at Lichfield City Council, declaring a climate change emergency. Now the City Council has to take this into account in all future spending decisions.

Vote for Lib Dem councillors in Chadsmead Ward on 4 May: for hardworking councillors who care about our community.

Quote from each of the candidates

Paul Ray said: "Lib Dem candidates are hardworking and we care about our community. For example, we have worked hard on the campaign for changes to the dangerous Grange Lane / Eastern Avenue road junction. £250,000 has now been secured with Staffordshire County Highways for improvements to the junction this year."

Miles Trent said: "We have solutions to make Chadsmead a better area for all. For example, we campaigned to reduce the number of primary schools in the ward which need to close on polling day, arguing for community centres and mobile units to be used instead wherever possible. The number of school closures has now reduced in Chadsmead, which is an excellent result both for pupils and for working parents."

Hugh Ashton said: "We have a track record for helping residents in Chadsmead Ward. We do what we can to improve residents' quality of life, and we are very aware that a large part of Chadsmead ward is one of the most deprived areas in Staffordshire. We have recently liaised with Staffordshire Police to address 'boy-racing' on Weston Road; and we have brought together agencies such as LDC, the police and Bromford Housing to make improvements in the Oakenfield area."