Promotional Feature
AlderleyEdgeFirst's bid for Parish Council election will focus on the village's biggest headache
If you're an Alderley Edge resident, you'll know that parking problems have reached crisis point in the village; and you'll probably want something done about it – fast. And that's why parking will be the first and most crucial issue that recently formed AlderleyEdgeFIRST will tackle if it's voted onto Alderley Edge Parish Council at the local by-elections on the 7th May.
Not a political party – simply concerned villagers
"We're independent, we're not a political party and we don't represent any particular village society or group," says Ruth Norbury, one of AlderleyEdgeFIRST's nine potential Parish Council candidates. "We're simply made of up of concerned villagers who love Alderley Edge – and all we want is a Parish Council that represents the views of the village, and acts on those views for the good of the village, without being influenced by party politics or self-interest."
AlderleyEdgeFIRST emerged from a growing dissatisfaction with the current Parish Council's approach to local governance - and the local people who make up AlderleyEdgeFIRST feel that a properly run Parish Council must be approachable, as well as open and honest in all its deliberations and activities. Says another candidate, Michael Dudley-Jones: "We want to create a Parish Council that genuinely represents villagers' views, listens carefully, politely and respectfully to what people say - and acts on their wishes for the greater good of everyone."
A balanced solution to current parking problems
Having made parking their prime responsibility after the May 7th by-election, AlderleyEdgeFIRST have plans to find a swift solution to urgently needed new parking spaces in the village. "Naturally, we're keen to preserve our valuable green spaces, and we particularly want to protect the allotments on Heyes Lane", says Parish Council candidate Christine Munro (who organises Alderley Edge's annual May Fair). "After all, over half the village voted to retain them in a 2014 Allotments Society petition, plus the Parish Council's own Parish Pledge leaflet generated a response in favour of keeping the allotments."
However, to find a long-term and sustainable solution, AlderleyEdgeFIRST will undertake a detailed survey of local parking needs (especially for local businesses), as well as assessing and costing all parking solutions available - including the Heyes Lane allotment site. Then a common-sense solution can be developed that answers current and future parking needs, represents villagers' wishes, and garners approval from Cheshire East Council.
Preserving village character, improving roads, supporting the Medical Centre
Additional to AlderleyEdgeFIRST's agenda will be preservation of the village's unique character - embracing change that enhances the village, whilst opposing insensitive development that doesn't reflect the very special ambience of the village. The dreadful condition of many local roads will also be tackled - and AlderleyEdgeFIRST will be particularly active in supporting the re-development of the Festival Hall to ensure that the Medical Centre is completed and that the remainder of the hall is refurbished to provide a user-friendly and welcoming amenity for use by village residents.
Nine capable and professional Councillors
AlderleyEdgeFIRST is fielding a formidable team of nine Parish Councillor candidates – and as well as hoping to become a Parish Councillor himself, Craig Browne will also represent the village on Cheshire East Council. "Our nine potential Councillors are already acting as a coordinated team," he says, "and they bring with them an extraordinary range of professional business, commercial and communications skills that will be of enormous value in Council matters. Better still, we have several young people as Councillors who really want to engage with villagers of their own age." AlderleyEdgeFIRST also has the backing of a further team of skilled and able local people who represent village interests and who are eager to provide on-going support to the new Parish Council, should it be successful on the 7th May.
"We've all been drawn together because of our affection and concern for Alderley Edge," says Rachael Grantham, one of the youngest AlderleyEdgeFIRST Parish Councillor candidates, "and we want the village to be the best it can be, for the benefit of everyone including our youngest residents. We ask all villagers to vote for AlderleyEdgeFIRST on the 7th May so that everyone's views can be properly represented and acted on with honesty, with transparency - and with total integrity."
Contact AlderleyEdgeFIRST via email: [email protected]
Like us on Facebook: https://facebook.com/alderleyedgefirst
Follow us on Twitter: @alderleyfirst
This is a Promotional Feature.
Promoted by M. Dudley-Jones on behalf of AlderleyEdgeFIRST, 2 South Terrace, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK9 7HA.
