In the run up to the General, Borough and Parish Council elections on May 7th we are publishing brief interviews with each of the candidates that respond to our request (before the end of the month).
This is the 12th candidate interview, to read the previous ones 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 Election'. Candidates representing the same party or group will also be connected via the tags.
Mike Williamson is a Conservative candidate for Alderley Edge Parish Council and the current Chairman of AEPC.
Mike is an air traffic controller at Manchester Airport, he has worked there since 1990 and bought a house on West Bank in same year, where he still lives. So he has been a resident of the village for nearly 25 years. Mike is married with two children and is a union rep for the Prospect ATCOs branch, which he has been involved in both nationally and locally.
Speaking about why he has decided to stand for re-election, Mike told me "I have been on the Parish Council for over twenty years, but our work is not finished. I want to see the Medical Centre and pharmacy opened early next year. I want to complete the refurbishment of the Festival Hall. I want to build a car park on Heyes Lane which I honestly believe will help solve our parking problem. I want to carry on the work we have been doing providing Xmas Lights, a Christmas Fair, protecting the War Memorial, seeing CEC improve and maintain the Park and the Cemetery."
I asked Mike what he considered to be the most important issues facing Alderley Edge. He responded "A really important issue is parking. The success of the businesses in the village, access for residents to those businesses and the issue of all-day parking on residential streets have combined to produce a crisis in Alderley Edge.
"The Medical Centre construction has started, but we still need to secure a pharmacy and other users for the second floor, until such time as the doctor's need to expand the centre.
"Despite the provision of a PCSO and CCTV by the Parish Council, policing and parking control are not satisfactory. There is poor parking discipline and drivers speed through the village and on the bypass."
Mike added "I have worked on planning applications since I joined the Parish Council. Planning is critical to Alderley Edge and although we are only consultees, not decision makers, we have achieved a measure of success in trying to limit damage from development. It is very important that the CEC Development Plan, when adopted, reflects the heritage of our conservation areas and the balance in the high street between retail and leisure use."
Speaking about what he hopes to achieve if re-elected, Mike said "The Parish Council has proposed a solution, which addresses the parking issues and will allow us to solve a lot of the problems. Parking on Heyes Lane, next to the Medical Centre and refurbished Hall but close enough to the commercial heart of the village, will create long stay capacity to match the short stay car parks at the Parade and South Street.
"It will allow us to shift the traffic off roads like Trafford, Stamford and Talbot. It will allow us to introduce parking controls on residential streets, after consultation, creating limited waiting or even more residents parking schemes, if needed."
Mike added "I will continue our work to procure a pharmacy and related medical services within the Medical Centre, for the benefit of the 8,000 patients.
"I will continue to work with CEC to provide traffic control and parking control measures within the overall parking solution. We need to see more yellow lines and white lines on the roads along with use of SIDs to highlight areas where speeding is a problem.
"I would like to see a Supplementary Planning Document inserted into CEC's Development plan to protect London Road and the conservation areas of Alderley Edge."
Asked why Alderley Edge residents should vote for him, Mike replied "Residents should vote for myself and my colleagues because we have a proven record of delivering solutions to real problems. A Medical Centre under construction; a Hall refurbishment program with planning permission granted, funding ensured and a builder in place to commence work immediately after the Alderley Festival. A sensible, logical solution for the parking crisis we face.
"A program of parking controls delivered on Linton Lane, Congleton Road and due to arrive on Eaton Drive, Ryley's Lane, Redesmere, Windermere and Greystoke Drive. Proposals in place for Macclesfield Road and Trafford Road. Financing for our PCSO and CCTV, improvements at the Cemetery, improvements in the Park. Better Xmas lights. These are the ways this Conservative Parish Council is improving Alderley Edge."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
My question is, can the people dare risk voting for a complete change of the PC for a mixture of young and old, but inexperienced?
It's a big risk!
Good luck Mike!
He has decided, clearly, that posting his profile on this site is beneath him. Yes, we know he has been unwell for a time and I am sorry to hear that, but he is now out and about.
So where is his profile? There are a huge number of people who are anxious to ask him a very great many questions that he might find difficult to answer. Yes, he will bluff and bluster but he won't find it an easy time.
Lisa Reeves has 'closed' the profile door so he has signalled to the electorate that he doesn't really care what they think! No surprises there then. After all he has been treating people with appalling disdain for so long it must be difficult for him to stop himself getting better and better at getting worse.
Do we all really have to put up with this attitude for any longer or might we see a merciful release on Thursday 7 th May?
I think Mike Dudley-Jones' question is a very reasonable one and deserving of a response from you as Chairman of AEPC.
Why, out of eighteen prospective candidates, has only Frank Keegan declined to put himself in a position where the people of Alderley Edge (through this excellent forum) can ask him questions about some of the issues in which he has been much involved?