ST CLEMENT is one of the best wards in the city for long-living. People there live six years longer, on average, than residents in other parts of Worcester.

According to Government data produced last year, the average St Clement resident lives until 81, compared to an average lifespan of 75 for residents in Nunnery and Gorse Hill.

The Government describes St Clement as one of the least deprived areas in the United Kingdom, with an enviable quality of life.

The ward is close to St John's and the riverside. Binge drinking is a considerable concern for residents, particularly around St Clement's churchyard, which led to it becoming a non-alcohol zone last year.

The city council is still concerned that making areas non-alcohol zones only moves the problem on to other areas, but only has limited influence to enforce more bans because the police have the final say on the subject.

The ward made Worcester News headlines last year when Mayor Coun Ian Imray, who serves St Clement, said he was concerned that drinking bans around St John's ended up moving the problem on to St Clement's.

During his time as mayor, Coun Imray has helped raise more than £15,000 for charity by hosting a range of special events, such as golf days, raffles, music nights and concerts.

Coun Imray is a Conservative and up for re-election this year. He will be replaced by a new mayor when his period in office ends in three weeks time.

The other councillor serving the ward is leader Coun Simon Geraghty, who has held that post at the Guildhall for a year.

CANDIDATES:IAN IMRAYIAN Imray said that as Mayor of Worcester it has been his privilege to represent the city on many occasions during the year.

He has been especially keen to ensure the youth of the city have a better understanding of the workings of the council, as well as aiming to ensure they do not go astray in later life.

He has been actively involved with residents and the police in tackling anti-social behaviour around the Monarch Drive shops,.

He said he has also been involved in a campaign to clean up the city.

As a board member of Worcester Community Housing, he has been able to assist local people with housing related matters.

RICHARD UDALLRICHARD Udall is experienced - he was a city councillor for 12 years and chairman of both the environmental health and transportation committees.

He is now a county councillor and has been chairman of the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority, where he currently serves the authority as Labour group leader.

Mr Udall runs his own small business in the city. He is also chairman of the Wales and Borders regional board of the Co-operative Group, which owns the Co-operative supermarkets. He said he is concerned about the high speed and the ever-increasing number of vehicles using local roads.

RUTH STAFFORDRUTH Stafford lives in Worcester, and works in the city. She has been a paid-up member of the Green Party for the past five years.

She is an active member of the Friends of the Earth in Worcester, as well as Greenpeace groups.

She says she is particularly concerned about the effects modern transport habits have on the planet.

She is also worried about the effects shopping habits have on the health and well-being of the environment.

If elected, she will do her best to promote Green issues at the Guildhall.

PETER BEECHEYPETER Beechey said he joined the BNP as it was the only party that had the policies he believed in concerning health, education, pensioners, green issues and crime.

He wants to ensure that the health and social welfare of Worcester people is put first, together with the preservation of the city.

He says that if elected he intends to help to locate sites for affordable housing without encroaching on Green Belt areas, and to get more police on the beat to combat the anti-social behaviour that now blights the city. He says he would tackle local issues for local people.