Kenilworth and Southam Liberal Democrats

John was elected county councillor for Kenilworth Abbey in 2005. He is the Liberal Democrat county spokesman for Children, Young People and Families, and also speaks on environmental issues. He is cycling champion for Warwickshire.

He and wife Ann have lived in Kenilworth since 1979. They have three children and two young grandchildren, the eldest of who attends a local primary school. John took early retirement from the international automotive business in 2003.

John led the successful local campaign to help Sustrans Connect2 win the £50 million prize in 2007, and is now overseeing the construction of the new walking and cycling greenway path linking Kenilworth with the University of Warwick and with Berkeswell Station. He is a leading campaigner for Kenilworth Station, and strong supporter of the K2L group seeking to improve the cycling route between Kenilworth and Leamington. He is a founder member of Kenilworth Initiative for Climate Change (KICC).

He represents the County Council on the Town Centre Steering Group and is a member of the board of the Kenilworth Town Centre Partnership.

John has been a leading member of the Kenilworth Safer Neighbourhoods Panel since its inception, and is currently leading the initiative to combat the problem of speeding motorists in our area.

He chairs the Kenilworth Youth & Community Centre management committee, and has been steering the new Centre in Abbey End Car Park from success to success.

John has been successful in winning county funding for 'minor works' street improvement projects in Abbey division every year for four years, the only councillor in the District to achieve this. He says: "I reject the defeatist view that nothing ever gets done for Kenilworth. It's up to councillors like me to fight to make sure we get our fair share of the cake. If re-elected I shall continue to do so."

Pat has represented Abbey ward as a Town Councillor since 1991, and has been Mayor of Kenilworth twice, 1996-97 and 2007-8. He is the leader of the Liberal Democrat group on the Town Council.

Pat taught in Coventry for 32 years, but is now retired. He is married to Joan, with two grown-up daughters who were both raised and educated in the town. He and his wife have in the past been foster parents and respite carers.

He was District Councillor between 1995 and1999.

He has been a governor of Kenilworth School since 1992; he is also Honorary President of Kenilworth Senior Citizens Club and a JP.

He founded Kenilworth Initiative for Climate Change (KICC) in 2008 and chairs this new organisation.

Pat represents the Town Council on the Town Centre Steering Group and is a member of the board of the Kenilworth Town Centre Partnership.

He has frequently represented the Town Council at Warwick District Council's Planning Committee. He says: "It is my high priority to speak up for residents' concerns over planning matters. We have to get the right balance between necessary development and protecting Kenilworth's heritage and environment."

He believes that the key issue facing the town at present is the impact of the government's Regional Spatial Strategy with its demands for greatly expanded housing development in this area.

Kate is married to Richard, and they have three daughters all attending schools in the town. A Kenilworth resident for eighteen years, she is an active member of the local community. She is a past chair of St John's School PTA and of Kenilworth Ladies Circle, and now enjoys helping to organise a Toddler group at St. John's Church. She works part-time as a Midwife.

Kate says councillors should be easily approachable and in touch with the residents they represent, in order to identify the needs of the community. She feels that Kenilworth is a town that can be proud to welcome visitors and transport links and development of facilities and activities should reflect this. She is delighted that Kenilworth is a Fairtrade town and is an active member of the local Fairtrade group, recognizing this as a way that local businesses can identify themselves as being different.

Kate wants to see better facilities for older and disabled residents, including improved transport links and parking in convenient car parking areas away from residential streets making it safer for pedestrians. She wants to see every person in St John's ward treated with dignity and respect.

She is proud of the town's schools which provide excellent education for our young people, and has been a member of the St. John's Children's Centre advisory group since its inception. She believes that it is important that families are supported in caring for their children to improve health and wellbeing.

Kate says:

"We are all aware of the problems associated with traffic in the area. I am keen to support proposals for cycle paths and improved transport links and am excited at the possibility of Kenilworth having its own station.

Living in such a beautiful area I am also proud of the town's efforts to provide recycling facilities, and would work for this to be monitored and improved."

John has lived in Warwick District for 11 years, firstly in the Milverton district of Leamington and then moving to Leek Wootton three years ago. He has a partner Genny and a grown-up son, Richard, who is currently studying for his Masters degree.

He has extensive business experience spanning 30 years and has worked at senior level in a number of well known companies. Today he owns and runs a business which provides specialised employee communication services principally to multinationals.

John joined the Liberal Democrats ten years ago because he was keen to make a contribution to the local community. He was active in Leamington's Milverton ward, serving as a school governor and focusing on traffic calming measures to address the real dangers posed by inappropriate speed, particularly to the young and elderly.

If elected, his focus in Leek Wootton John's will be to build on the strong sense of community spirit and pride in the area, with specialist interests in promoting leisure facilities, community transport and traffic calming.

Outside of work and political commitments, he recently took up golf and takes part in the Two Castles' Run.

John says:

"I really enjoy living in Leek Wootton and if elected I'm confident that I can make a positive contribution to people's lives in the ward, bringing fresh ideas and an astute business approach to the work of the local council."

Sue was born in Warwickshire and has lived in Bishops Itchington for over twenty years with her husband Steve.

A maths graduate, Sue left her career in IT to care for their first child, born with profound learning difficulties, who still lives at home. Of their three younger children, two are still at Southam College.

She has spent fifteen years as a school governor, including two sessions as Chair of Governors.

Sue has been heavily involved in Bishops Itchington village affairs, spending over ten years as Parish Clerk.

Her interest in the Arts has led to an involvement with 'Live and Local', which brings live entertainment to rural venues. Sue has also been involved in the introduction of a reading group.

She is now working with husband Steve, establishing a small IT business.

David has lived in the Kineton area for over twenty years. He has served as a County Councillor for eight years, a District Councillor for four years and a Parish Councillor for two years.

He works at the Kineton Army base designing training courses for soldiers, and was soldier himself for 27 years.

David is active in local affairs, being a governor of a secondary and a primary school. He also helps to run a youth group.

He lives with his wife Shelagh and has grown up children living locally. His grandchildren call him 'Grumpy' but he tries not to live up to the name!

David is Chairman of a County Council committee that fights for better customer access to services and reduced administration costs.

He has been thinking and acting 'Green' for some years now. He has installed ground source heating to his house, and invested in wind and water power technology. He composts.

Helena works in Southam and lives in Napton, both of which are in the area to be represented by the County Councillor.

In her early career Helena worked for an independent brick company with national coverage, first in market research and then in architectural sales, and later as sales manager for a small photographic company before taking a sabbatical. She travelled the world, visiting India, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada. On her return Helena set up and ran her own small business, a tea shop.

Helena now works part-time with a local estate agent in Southam. Her husband, Paul, is a senior local government environment specialist.

They have a son who attends St Lawrence School, Napton. With a young family, Helena is concerned about the planet and the environment in which her son will grow up.

Helena has been an active volunteer for a local Association for the Blind and currently is a member of Napton's School Association.

She has organised charity events along with a friend for the Macmillan Appeal and for Helen Ley House

David and his family have lived in Wellesbourne since 1986. Both his children went to Wellesbourne School.

A social worker by profession, he is now employed by one of the largest Housing Associations in the country, developing housing projects across the Midlands.

David's voluntary work has included Mencap, Community Health Councils and the British Institute of Learning Disability.

He is currently Vice-Chair of Wellesbourne Parish Council, previously a Governor of Wellesbourne C of E Primary School and a past Chair of Southam Round Table.

David was very disappointed when, at the last minute, the Conservatives decided not to go ahead with the Leisure Centre in Wellesbourne. "Why did they allow nearly £300,000 of our money to be spent before pulling the plug?" he says.

"Millions are being spent on World Class Stratford, but Wellesbourne and the surrounding villages seem destined to be the poor relations."

David believes we need a Councillor who will fight to make sure Wellesbourne and the villages around have all the facilities they need.