IAN JENKINS - Prospective Parliamentary Candidate PPC)

Ian Jenkins, a dynamic 59 year old married individual from Wolverhampton, has been chosen by the local party executive as the prospective Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for Aldridge / Brownhills. Originally from Gwent, Ian has two daughters, 4 grandchildren and gained a Bachelor of Arts degree, with honours, in Humanities at Wolverhampton Polytechnic, as it was then known.

Ian works as a sales agent and acts as a consultant in the glass industry. He has been a member of the Liberal Democrats for more than 37 years.

Ian is pictured below with one his daughters, Eluned Parrott, 35 who is also standing as a Liberal Democrat Candidate at the election in The Vale of Glamorgan. Whilst it is her first election it is Ian’s 5^th attempt!

Presently Ian is Chairman of Wolverhampton East Liberal Democrats local party and he has formally served in a senior position at Regional level. He also brings with him plenty of experience having fought since 1992 for Liberal Democrat interests at previous elections.

A keen conservationist, Ian is a member of Friends of the Earth, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Campaign for Real Ale and is Senior Steward at Fordhouses Methodist Church, where he is the Fairtrade Co-ordinator.

Ian has worked hard for local transport, having served on the Sandwell and Dudley Transport Advisory Committee, being a key player in getting passenger services restored on the line to Cannock and is also the Vice Chairman of Railfuture, West Midlands. He also wants to restore passenger services on the line running through Aldridge and today visited the site near Anchor Meadow Medical Centre where it is hoped the new station will stand in the near future.

The constituency is made up of 6 wards, and here are the details of the candidates for each ward in the forthcoming local elections to be held on 6th May:

ALDRIDGE CENTRAL & SOUTH - Roy Sheward

I am working to get elected in the Aldridge Central & South Ward of Walsall Council. I stood for election to the council in 2003, 2004 and 2008. In 2005 I stood as the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate in Aldridge / Brownhills. I have believed in the ideals of Liberalism since studying British Constitution at School in 1974. I could never understand why we had to be satisfied with the Tories looking after the interests of big business or Labour stifled by the Trade Unions demands. During the 1980’s, as a trade union member, I fought Thatcher’s plans to ban trade unions, whilst also fighting the Unions attempts to get closed shops - both sides seeking to deny individuals a freedom to choose! Perhaps the thing that amazed me most was how archaic our voting system was - resulting in the country being ruled by a party who achieved an ever decreasing proportion of the vote!!

ALDRIDGE NORTH & WALSALL WOOD - Mark Greveson

BROWNHILLS  - John Garfitt

PELSALL - Stan Evans

RUSHALL / SHELFIELD - Roy Smith

I stood at the by-election held last year  in the ward.  Born and bred in Walsall I have three grown up children, 4 grandchildren and have been a Liberal since 1950. I still run a small family business in the area and am a regular at Kings Road Chapel.

STREETLY - Shirley Balgobin