Meet the candidates for Manor House standing in the Hartlepool Council elections

We will concentrate on a ward each day and today is the Manor House Ward.

Each day we will give the candidates the opportunity to tell Mail readers why they are standing and why residents should vote for them.

There are four candidates for the Manor House Ward who are hopeful of being elected onto Hartlepool Borough Council on May 3.

Here’s what they have to say.

Kate Anne Dobson (Green Party)

My name is Kate Dobson, and I’m your Green candidate for the Manor House ward. I was born in Hartlepool and have lived here my whole life - I went to Rift House primary school and spent the majority of my childhood playing in the streets of the ward, from my grandparents house on Thackeray Road to my friends houses all across Rift House.

I currently work in the Manor - you’ve probably seen me taking the short number 7 bus journey from the end of my street to Maxwell Road!

As a Green Party candidate I believe your local councillor should have a vested interest in your local area, and stand firmly on the side of protecting and developing the green spaces of the Manor and Rift House area.

As your councillor I would aim to improve the safety of the streets in the ward through lower traffic speeds, so every child can walk or cycle to and from school safely and play outside away from harm. I also support the tidying up of the streets by filling in potholes and rejuvenating the existing grass verges to beautify the area.

The Manor House ward needs a candidate who cares.

Marjorie James (Labour)

As part of a strong Labour Team I have supported residents to tackle housing, road and pavement issues, dog fouling etc.

Issues that cause me most concern are: elderly people living without family support and young families who are struggling to put food on the table.

The decision of the Tory Government to remove Free School Dinners from many of the ward’s primary school children will cause even more strain on local families.

I have supported:

• Holiday Hunger initiatives – helping local families during school holidays;

• Adult Social Care services that prevent isolation;

• Ward budgets;

• School Uniform Fund: helping hard up local families to meet these costs;

• In the last year we have supported 23 local families and 59 children;

• Spring Clean Initiative - working with the Thirteen Group to remove unwanted furniture items;

• Helping HBC to remove grass verges, so residents can park safely;

• Signage to encourage residents to report dog fouling. The new HBC Reporting App, should also make this easier for residents to do.

If re-elected I will work with my Labour colleagues Allan and Stephen to attract further investment into the ward.

Telephone: 01429 294 689 Email: [email protected]

Linda Parker (Independent)

My name is Linda Parker and I was born in Hartlepool. I was raised in Owton Manor and I know the issues of Manor House and indeed the full town.

A lot of residents are uneasy about the developments under the administration of Labour and Tory councillors.

For Example,

•The fiasco of Manor Residents Association.

•I lobbied the Council about the granting of a licence for Inspirations Cafe in the cemetery- it was a disgrace and is now closed;

•Labour and Tory councillors voted for a 31% increase in 2017/2018 but most employees had a pay freeze and at best received 1% to 2%;

•£1,445 million was transferred to waterfront activities in January-this could be used for ward projects, stem the redundancies and reduce the increase in council tax;

•On Christmas Eve, I closed the Hartlepool Bereavement Service in Park Road with a heavy heart-lack of funding from public money! (We needed £30,000.00!);

We need major changes in the Council Chamber and I will be standing as an Independent candidate - forget your loyalties to political parties.

VOTE LINDA PARKER – make the change!

Bill Reeves (Conservative)

The Manor House Ward residents have a simple choice on the 3rd of May, Conservatives or Labour.

In past elections some of you put your faith in UKIP and elected six UKIP Councillors, five of them repaid your faith by abandoning UKIP and becoming independents.

Many of the six only stood for UKIP after falling out with several political groups they had previously been members of, now they’ve even abandoned UKIP.

Worse than that some of the ex-UKIP and the majority of the other independent councillors publicly voted against the councillors increase in allowances, then privately arranged for the same increases to be paid into there banks.

Can you trust independents?

If you want the councillors representing your ward to have any influence in maintaining and improving your area, then only the two traditional parties can help.

A vote for an Independent is a vote wasted, Independents have no influence within the council and therefore they cannot change any political policies or decisions you are unhappy with.

Only Conservatives can hold the council to account, vote Conservative May 3.