Lincolnshire County Council elections 2021: who are the candidates standing in the Market Rasen area?

Here is a list of candidates standing for election in our local wards, together with a short statement in a bid to win your vote:

MARKET RASEN WOLDS DIVISION:

Stephen Bunney (Liberal Democrats)

I have lived and worked in Market Rasen since 1994, when I joined the senior management team at De Aston School on the pastoral team, principally as head of boarding.

I have always taken an interest in local issues and how they can be addressed to bring about a better life for the residents.

As a result, I was elected onto Market Rasen Town Council, serving as mayor and more recently as chair of the finance committee.

On retirement from De Aston, I was elected on to the district council.

My Quaker and Liberal Democrat beliefs stress that active service is required if changes to the society in which we live are to take place.

My individual acts of litter picking, tree planting, food bank, friendship meals fundraising etc in themselves might not amount to much change, but as the recent experiences of lockdown have shown they, along with the similar acts of others, combine to create an improved level of community.

I believe that it is essential we create a fairer, Greener and sustainable lifestyle for the current and future generations.

To bring this about we need to make decisions that bring about improvements rather than concentrating primarily on balancing the budget.

I therefore undertake to push for measures that bring about a living wage for all, access to the ‘best’ health and education services, effective local transport and public services, environmental and climate friendly policies, decent roads and pavements etc.

To do this effectively, the public need to feed into and back these decisions.

This means politicians need to understand and communicate with local people, making it essential that they live, work and actively participate in the areas that they represent.

Tracey Jane Coulson (Conservative)

My name is Tracey Coulson. I’m honoured to have been selected to be the Conservative candidate for the Market Rasen Wolds Division in place of Councillor Lewis Strange, who sadly passed away last

year.

I’m aware I have big boots to fill and I’m grateful for the support and guidance Lewis offered me when I was elected as a West Lindsey district councillor.

I have lived in Lincolnshire since my family moved here when I was nine years old.

As well as being a district

councillor, I’m also a business woman working within my family business since leaving

university; giving me a broad

range of skills to draw on.

I’m passionate about supporting communities at every level, whether this be good schools for our children, access to health and social care needs, connectivity both in terms of transport and high-speed broadband, supporting businesses and, of course, tackling potholes and more!

Our environment is hugely important to me working as chair of the working party established to help West Lindsey develop the Climate Change Strategy.

It would be a privilege to work for the residents of Market Rasen Wolds, tackling the issues that face both towns and villages, so communities thrive.

Colin Saywell (Labour)

I was born in Lincolnshire and have lived in Claxby for 35 years. Like many people, I have strong concerns about the environmental damage to our community.

Addressing this must be the number one goal for future generations.

We are extremely fortunate to have The Lincolnshire Wolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on our doorstep.

The planning application for oil and gas exploration near South Kelsey is a major concern and should be actively opposed. Labour will ban any proposed fracking developments.

Clearing litter, addressing dog fouling and fly tipping will also greatly improve our countryside and town.

Restoring the shops on the main road through the town centre will improve this part of our community.

How has Market Rasen benefitted from the district council’s £30-plus million building portfolio invested outside Lincolnshire?

Labour actively seeks to promote connectivity across Lincolnshire, whether travelling for education, work or leisure. We are committed to

maintaining the roads in good condition for car users, public transport and cyclists so residents can reach their destination safely.

Improving broadband speed across the region will also improve our ability to connect with others.

NORTH WOLDS Division:

Brian Green (Labour)

No submission received.

Louise Amanda Reece (Liberal Democrats)

I am your candidate for the Liberal Democrats in North Wolds Division for the Lincolnshire County Council election and Kelsey Wold Ward for the West Lindsey District Council election.

I live in North Kelsey, with my husband and two teenage children, and work as a swimming teacher and coach, with a passion for engaging children in sport.

I grew up locally, in Keelby, went to school in Caistor, and my children are at school there now.

As a keen cyclist, I am very aware of the state of our roads and I am also concerned about the state of our pavements, reduced street lighting and speeding traffic.

I am particularly concerned about environmental issues. Although it is hard to believe living in such a rural part of Lincolnshire, our country as a whole is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world, so it is vital we protect our open spaces.

I believe it is really important to have a local councillor who is in touch with local issues.

I will fight with passion and diligence to get the best for this area and I promise that a vote for me would not be wasted.

Tom Smith (Conservative).

As someone who has been educated in Lincolnshire and lived here for almost two decades, I am truly proud to call Lincolnshire, and especially West Lindsey, home.

I am passionate about representing local people effectively and strongly so they know they have someone who, without fear or favour, will stand up for them on every issue.

I am particularly keen to protect our environment and the beautiful area in which we live.

I also want to work with other elected officials within parishes and WLDC to ensure that North Wolds has the strongest representation possible.

Having previously been a West Lindsey district councillor, if the people of North Wold put their faith in me, I will hit the ground running and use all my previous experience to ably represent them and to continue the good work of my predecessor, Tony Turner.

WELTON RURAL:

David Patrick Bond (Labour)

No submission received.

Sue Rawlins (Conservative)

I have been a self-employed accountant for the past 30 years.

I have formerly lived in Welton with my family; presently our home is in Buslingthorpe, near Market Rasen.

As a county councillor since 2009, I have chaired the county’s audit committee and with fellow colleagues, independent of party politics, have challenged the way in which the council’s systems operate.

I have also represented the council on the management committee of the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO), of which the council is a member, and have ensured it delivers good value for the council.

Voting for me as your representative on the county council, with your support, I’ll be able to uphold the interests of the local community at Lincolnshire County Council.

In particular, together with my Conservative colleagues, I am committed to:

• Keeping Council Tax low and continuing to campaign for increased funding from Government.

• Supporting business to keep existing jobs and create new ones.

• Keeping the area moving by encouraging walking and cycling and investing in local road repairs and improvements.

• Promoting well-being by supporting the elderly and vulnerable.

• Focusing on flood protection and relief.

• Protecting the environment by cutting carbon emissions and increasing recycling.

Diana Meriel Rodgers (Independent)

Brought up in Lincolnshire, I trained at Princess Christian College, Manchester, and supervised nursery-age children at home and overseas.

As a mature student, I studied with St Nicholas College, London, and became head of department in an International School.

During my 22 years in Welton, I have concerned myself with health and wellbeing: through the Community Health Council, the Citizens’ Advice Bureau, the Women’s Royal Voluntary Service, and the Royal British Legion.

And I have represented our community’s interests on the district council for 13 years.

I have been married for 50 years, and have two children and four grandchildren.

In 2008, I was first elected as a district councillor, with party political sponsorship.

In 2011, I was re-elected; but this time as an independent member.

After my experience of the previous three years, I had formed the opinion that local government should serve local interests, and not political interest, and that councillors should live or work in the community that they represent.

It seems clear that Welton Rural Division cannot continue to absorb new housing developments without improvements to health, education and the roads and these are the issues that I would take up as an independent county councillor.

Neil Taylor (Liberal Democrats)

A retired vice principal.

I worked in agriculture and archaeology.

Served for 20 years as a West Lindsey district councillor. Mayor and town councillor for Market Rasen.

A former Parliamentary candidate, I twice fought the constituency, which includes Welton, winning a silver and bronze in the 90s.

A passionate supporter of Europe and the environment. Have spent the last year delivering food parcels and hot meals to the isolated and elderly.

A vote for me is a vote for action, not words.

I believe in modernising institutions into the 21st century.

On being elected to West Lindsey, I introduced a paper which changed the committee structure completely, so it could serve the electorate both more effectively and efficiently. I did the same for the town council.

If elected,I would vote to overturn the county ban on Wind Turbines.

I would only support bus companies that ran their vehicles on hydrogen.

I would support landowners who allow and improve footpaths across their land with grants.

Where housing developments increase the numbers of children, I would support new schools and infrastructure being built.

I do not support a unitary authority for Lincolnshire due to its size and sparsity of population.