Worcester elections 2024: Fort Royal candidates

It includes Lowesmoor, Shrub Hill, Fort Royal Park and large parts of London Road.

Veteran councillor Jabba Riaz and fellow Labour candidate Atif Sadiq are both hoping for re-election having served in the Cathedral ward.

They are among the nine candidates competing for two seats on Worcester City Council when the polls open on May 2.

Justin Kirby - Green Party

Justin Kirby (Image: Justin Kirby)

I have lived in Worcester for over 10 years and work for Worcestershire County Council. I believe in a caring, inclusive and democratic society that enables everyone to have fulfilling lives and follow their interests.

Our democracy should be participatory and empowering for people to take an active and informed part in the decision-making processes that affect their lives.

If elected, I will do all I can to be a voice for the people of Fort Royal, to tackle their issues and improve their lives. I will work with the other Green councillors to make Worcester cleaner and greener. I believe the Green Party is the only party that has the policies to make our society fairer.

Andrew Lee - Liberal Democrats

Andrew Lee (Image: Andrew Lee)

Andy has been a school teacher for 27 years and he is committed to using his experience to serve the people of Fort Royal and to make a positive difference in the community.

Andy believes everybody has a voice and that inclusion is the only way the city can move forward in these challenging times, helping people feel their views are respected and represented.

He is an advocate for sensible and environmentally sustainable growth in the housing stock and has been an activist in preserving Worcester’s fragile greenbelt. He believes in supporting practical and innovative ideas to promote growth in the city’s small business community while supporting local people to deal with antisocial behaviour issues.

In his spare time Andy is a musician and can be found gigging in the pubs and clubs of the Black Country. He is a keen luthier and often plays the instruments he makes.

Antonio Martins - Conservatives

No profile or photo provided

Marta Martins - Conservatives

No profile or photo provided

Helen McCarthy - Green Party

Helen McCarthy (Image: Helen McCarthy)

I have lived in Worcester since 2008 and I love it here. I am a nurse in the GP out of hours service and have seen first hand how people suffer when the NHS is left to pick up the pieces of a broken society.

Without really brilliant local provision for the young, the old and the vulnerable, the health service cannot function well; and we need that infrastructure now more than ever.

I am standing for the Green Party because we need to break out of the Labour-Tory tug of war and put our community and our planet first.

If elected, I will do all I can to be as much an advocate for local people as I am for my patients in health care.

I believe the Green Party is the only party that has the policies to make our society fairer and more united in hope for the future of our wonderful city.

Resnu Meah

No profile or photo provided

Jabba Riaz - Labour

Jabba Riaz (Image: Jabba Riaz)

I am proud to have served as your local councillor for the past 14 years, at the heart of the city I love so much. As a local candidate who lives in Fort Royal ward, I know the issues that matter to you most. 

I will always be the reliable, responsive, and trusted local councillor you know, ready to serve you, the local area and Worcester as a whole.

I am proud to have delivered free swimming for children at Perdiswell and a new cricket pitch for the city, £90,000 investment in Horizon sports and play, improved air quality in Lowesmoor and will deliver a new zebra crossing at Stanley Road to improve safety for school children.

I have also brought agencies together to tackle anti-social behaviour and crime in the area, developing projects for children and young people.

There is still much to do, not least helping residents cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

Atif Sadiq - Labour

Atif Sadiq (Image: Atif Sadiq)

I am proud to have served the residents of Fort Royal for the last year. Together with your Labour team we have achieved so much for the area.

I love Fort Royal, I am passionate about the history, culture and its people. I regularly volunteer in community events and get involved in making my neighbourhood a better place. 

Seeing people in the city suffer as a result of NHS waiting lists and the cost-of-living crisis has spurred me to take action. Labour has been at the forefront of helping the most vulnerable in Worcester and this has inspired me to support its work in tackling rogue landlords, holding developers to account, and fighting for facilities to support our youth and elderly. 

My priorities are youth opportunities, safer streets, fighting the war on drugs and anti-social behaviour, tackling climate change and cleaner neighbourhoods. If you vote for me, you will be voting for integrity, action and a trusted Labour team.

Naheem Zafar - Independent

No profile or photo provided