Meet your Over candidates for Winsford Town Council by-election

For the Gravel ward, one councillor will be elected, while two will be elected for the Over ward.

The poll takes place on Thursday, November 25.

Here are your Over candidates:

There are two Conservative candidates running for the Over ward.

Sandra Challinor wants to ‘act on our community needs with focus on where improvements are needed’.

She said: “Winsford is truly my home, being born and bred, living in the Over ward all of my life.

“I have always been interested in supporting and listening to my neighbours with their concerns, and through involvement with several campaigns locally I have taken action to support our local community in and around Over.

“Having been educated in our local schools, and bringing up my son here, I question why the infrastructure does not cater sufficiently due to the growth our town has had.

“For example, having insufficient education places within the town, especially as the neighbourhood plan has evolved since 2012.

“Our community, families especially, need the much-needed support and services, which are sustainable.

“We need to get the basics right.”

Conservative Bill Young came to Winsford in 1990 along with his late wife, and has lived in Over since then.

He said: “Winsford is a great place to live, and central to astounding attractions not far away, but it does need a bit of tweaking, and if elected, my colleague Sandra Challinor and I hope to provide those tweaks and improvements.

“Since coming to the town I have been active in helping the Chester branch of the Autistic Society, and have first class connections with the Danish Autistic Society.

“Equally I am currently involved in running a Dementia Cafe with five other volunteers in St Andrew’s Methodist Church in Winsford, where I am also a member.

“I cared for my wife for quite some time, before she died two years ago, so I know what it is to care for someone suffering from this cruel disease, and wish to help all those caring for loved ones suffering from the all too many mental illnesses.

“Carers are the forgotten army and need help and encouragement.”

Bill also wants to improve the precinct and help create a sense of community spirit.

Winsford Liberal Democrats have been ‘delighted’ to announce their candidates for the upcoming by-elections.

Running in the Over ward are two former councillors – father and daughter Charlie Parkinson and Janet Fitzmaurice.

Janet is a former Winsford town councillor, and Charlie is a former Cheshire West, Vale Royal and Winsford town councillor.

They both live in the ward and want to ‘bring democracy back to the council process with more scrutiny and accountability to the public’.

Charlie is described as a ‘passionate campaigner’ for Over residents and for the whole town of Winsford.

He successfully campaigned for leisure facilities for disabled children to be installed in Town Park.

Charlie’s campaign for preservation of the Over Cross on Delamere Street is ongoing and he is still fighting to save the monument.

There are two Labour candidates running for the Over ward, including Laura Whitehead.

Laura was a local college tutor and now works for a social housing association supporting residents in challenging situations.

She is described as ‘passionate about fairness and speaks up for families without a voice’.

Laura is already rooted in the town, working alongside residents at allotments, litter clean-up days and in community green spaces.

Stuart Bingham, also running for Over, worked for the Ministry of Defence, joining the British Army on operations and exercises at home and abroad.

He’s also been the chair of governors at a secondary school and has worked as a scientific photographer for the NHS.

These days he’s a self-employed photographer, helping local businesses to promote what they do, as well as a dedicated litter picker with the Winsford Litter Project.

Laura and Stuart are campaigning to work with residents to make green spaces and parks even better, as seen with the launch of the Winsford Green Spaces project.

Over the past few months, they have also been consulting with residents and businesses on and around Woodford Lane about traffic issues there.