The battle in Battenhall for a place on Worcester City Council is hotting up to be an interesting and decisive one with the Greens eyeing up another big victory in a ward that brought the party much success in recent years.
In what was previously a stronghold for the city’s Conservatives, Battenhall had become, for just under a year at least, a ward held by two Greens and the party is looking to add another councillor to the list in a bid to re-establish its grip and shake-up the balance of power in the Guildhall.
Louise Griffiths won for the Greens in 2018 – 99 votes ahead of Steve Mackay in a two-horse race against the Conservatives only to quit to join the Conservatives less than a year later in a surprise move – tipping the balance of power in the Guildhall back towards the Tories.
The former Green and Conservative councillor has now quit the city council leaving the door open for a new face to represent Battenhall.
Tom Piotrowski will be standing for the Greens this time around, having finished just 32 votes short in his bid to topple Steve Mackay from his St Peter’s county council seat last year, and will now be fighting it out for the first time for a place on the city council.
Bruce Rodford is standing again for the Conservatives in Battenhall – after finishing second in the ward but more than 600 votes behind Louis Stephen last year.
In the last two contests in the Battenhall ward, Labour and Lib Dem councillors have performed poorly finishing third and fifth respectively in 2018 – 1,020 and 1,100 votes behind the Green Party – and 1,140 and 1,242 behind in faraway third and fifth-place finishes in 2018.
And hoping to break the trend on May 5 is Labour’s Graham Taylor and Pyers Symon for the Lib Dems.
TOM PIOTROWSKI (GREEN)
“I work for one of the largest social housing providers in the country. I do a four-day working week, and this gives me opportunities to volunteer and work for the community. I have been involved in launching or reviving several community initiatives in Worcestershire.
“I was born and raised in Poland, and also lived in the USA for 10 years before moving to Worcester in 2006.
“I am very familiar with Battenhall having lived there for seven years. I see the residents as a tightly-knit community who want to see positive changes to their ward, which is why I am thrilled to be running to be their representative on the local council.
“As an aspiring councillor, I am especially interested in promoting active travel, education, decreasing isolation and loneliness, and creating economic prosperity while respecting the environment. I want to bring a sense of seriousness to the city council and to focus on making local voices heard.”
BRUCE RODFORD (CONSERVATIVE)
“I have lived and worked locally in Worcester for the past seven years and attended a local school.
“I have visited many homes in Battenhall and have come to understand what residents want for their area.
“The ward has some lovely features, including some great parks, but it also has its fair share of problems with speeding drivers and discourteous parking.
“If I am elected, then I will work with both police and civil enforcement officers to make an impact on these issues.
“Obviously, the ward will take priority but being a councillor for the city also means working as a team to bring about improvements for the whole of Worcester.
“I look forward to playing a part in the advances that we can make but can assure residents that when developments are being considered I will always take into account the views of people in Battenhall.
“Again, I look forward to the challenge and will provide results for the community.”
PYERS SYMON (LIB DEM)
No statement or photo provided.
GRAHAM TAYLOR (LABOUR)
“I live in Battenhall and have worked in and around councils for more than 40 years and I also worked with BT at Whittington. As a local journalist I focused on holding councils to account.
“With the lies and incompetence at the highest levels of government and the complacency of local Conservatives, holding politicians to account has never been more important.
“As a Battenhall resident, I am keen to see greater investment in insulation schemes to keep energy costs down, improved air quality around our schools, support for food growing schemes and community larders and a stronger emphasis on building good quality, affordable homes, through land co-ops or a local housing company.
“I will also continue to campaign on disability rights – I was responsible for forcing the London Marathon to accept a wheelchair entrant for the first time.”
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