Parish Council Election: Candidate Sue Joseph

In the run up to the General, Borough and Parish Council elections on May 7th we will be publishing brief interviews with each of the candidates that respond to our request (before the end of the month).

To read the interviews with other candidates click on the tags at the bottom of the article. For example, pieces on the other candidates for the Alderley Edge Parish Council election will all be tagged 'Alderley Edge Parish Council'. Candidates representing the same party or group will also be connected via the tags.

Sue Joseph is a Conservative candidate for Alderley Edge Parish Council.

Sue was Deputy Headteacher who spent the last 25 years of her career working with children in the care system before having a serious accident which left her disabled and forced her early retirement.

Sue is married, has two daughters and twin grandchildren. She has lived in Nether Alderley for 35 years, originally running the sub office there, and has a wide range of interests including being a Freeman of Chester and Alderman of one of the Guilds.

Speaking about standing as a candidate, Sue told me "I was asked to stand for the Parish Council at the last election and, after careful thought, felt that I did have something to offer and agreed. It has been a busy and eventful few years during which time I have been able to help in the delivery of the new Medical Centre and refurbished Festival Hall.

"However whilst these are the headline events there is a lot of background work which goes largely unobserved and I have involved myself in this. The improvements at the Cemetery and War Memorial, liaison with the PCSOs and recruitment and management of Parish Council employees amongst others."

Sue added "There are still many things that need addressing in the village such as improving the village centre, the parking issues, the Cemetery gatehouse refurbishment and completion of the Memorial Garden, using the Festival Hall to encourage more community events and I feel that with the knowledge I have gained I will be able to contribute effectively to their delivery."

I also asked Sue whether she was for or against plans to build a car park on the site of the Heyes Lane allotments.

She told me "I am reluctantly in favour of the car park on Heyes Lane because it is the best site possible. The other alternatives have much against them. Lydiat Lane would involve building a new entry road and would be directing a lot of traffic along Chorley Hall Lane and Lydiat Lane both of which are narrow and twisting and have issues regarding the current levels of traffic using them. The football ground has been investigated for parking and is also unsuitable due to the drainage and the fact that it is protected as a playing field.

"The allotment holders will be compensated with £500 per holder and relocated to either Lydiat Lane or one of the other two sites if they wish and there is space. The land at Lydiat Lane will be prepared for the holders and a variety of different sizes and styles of allotment will be provided including raised beds, small plots etc so that a wider range of people will have the opportunity to enjoy this healthy and enjoyable activity. There is room for at least 60 plots which mean that the current holders on Heyes Lane can all be accommodated together with all prospective holders on the waiting list plus a few to spare."

Sue added "There have been other suggestions made eg the Park car park, persuading Emersons to build on their site but these will not provide the number of spaces required. Having driven down Ryleys Lane at lunchtime it was impossible for two way traffic to move due to the building site and long term parking on each side. We have to do something drastic and quickly. I feel that the Heyes Lane site offers the most suitable answer moving long stay traffic off residential streets.

"I also like the suggestion Duncan Herald made, that all residents can use vacant residents spaces during the day as is done in France so that there would no longer be the irritation of seeing many empty spaces left all day."