County Council candidates named for 2009

We are pleased to announce our prospective candidates for the Essex County Council elections for 2009. They are:

Brentwood South Division - Cllr David Kendall

David is Lib Dem group leader and has been a councillor for 17 years, first for Brentwood West and now for Pilgrims Hatch. He has lived in Brentwood for over 20 years, having recently moved to the Brook Street area, on the edge of the division. He has a 9-year old son, Jack, and owns and operates his own small business in Brentwood.

Brentwood North Division - Cllr Barry Aspinell

Barry, a retired fire-fighter, has been a Brentwood councillor for 26 years, representing Brentwood North and then Pilgrims Hatch where he lives. He is Deputy Leader of the Lib Dem group and was a county councillor from 2001-2005. Barry is Chief Executive of Brentwood-based charity "Fighting for Families".

Brentwood Hutton Division - Cllr Ross Carter

Ross was elected as ward member for Brentwood North ward in May this year but has been a long-time feature of the local Liberal Democrats, having stood as candidate for Herongate, Ingrave & West Horndon in 2007, where he grew up and is well known to Herongate villagers from his days working in the local shop! He lives in Brentwood and is an administrator for Havering College.

Brentwood Rural Division - Cllr Karen Chilvers

Karen, a marketing manager, has been councillor for Brentwood West since May 2007. In 2005, she was the key campaigner in the "Save Thorndon Park" campaign and continues to campaign for protection of the Brentwood countryside. She is a former resident of Stondon Massey, where her mother and late stepfather were both parish councillors, and now lives in Warley

The elections will be held in Spring 2009 and all seats are currently held by Conservatives.

Cllr Kendall said:

"The Conservatives have a stranglehold on every aspect of local government in Brentwood and there is a serious democratic deficit in our town and they are taking our residents for granted. I'm sure we've all had enough of the council tax we pay Essex County Council disappearing into a black hole and getting very little in return."

Cllr Aspinell added:

"The four of us believe this area needs county councillors who will fight for better services and for more funding on transport, roads and potholes.

"As councillors, we are all committed to listening to residents, speaking up for them and getting things done at a borough level. We would all welcome the opportunity to extend this to a county perspective."

There are no issues with councillors serving at borough and county level simultaneously and all would continue to serve in both capacities if elected.

For information:

The Essex County Council divisions comprise the following wards:

Brentwood South: Brentwood South, Brentwood West and Warley

Brentwood North: Pilgrims Hatch, Shenfield and Brentwood North

Brentwood Hutton: Herongate, Ingrave & West Horndon, Hutton Central, Hutton East, Hutton North and Hutton South

Brentwood Rural: Brizes & Doddinghurst, Ingatestone, Fryerning & Mountnessing, South Weald and Tipps Cross