Worcester elections 2024: St Nicholas ward candidates

Eight candidates are competing for two places on the city council next week.

Tory stalwart Stephen Hodgson narrowly defeated Lib Dem Sarah Murray in May 2022 by 571 votes to 516 to keep his seat on Worcester City Council.

Sarah Murray, who is also now the Lib Dem candidate for West Mercia police and crime commissioner, was elected to the city council a year later, delivering a 393 majority over Conservative Chris Rimell.

Martyn Hencher - Green Party

Martyn Hencher (Image: Martyn Hencher)

I am a qualified accountant and work as a senior manager for a housing association. I was born in Worcester and have lived here for most of my life. I now live in Warndon Villages with my family. We chose Warndon Villages as our home because of its green spaces, great primary school and strong community.

I want to help to keep Warndon Villages a great place to live. It has been lovely to meet hundreds of neighbours over the last few months and hear how much we all care about our area.

Politics can be focussed on the short term. I want to see the councillors and officers working together to make good decisions for the long term.

Stephen Hodgson - Conservatives

Stephen Hodgson (Image: Stephen Hodgson)

Stephen lives in the St Nicholas ward with his wife Lucy, and dachshund Henry in Brecon Avenue. He has represented the area for 20 years, where he successfully helped to secure funding for a popular multi-use games area and has lobbied for enhancements around Warndon Villages over the years.

He is employed by a major grocery retailer and is immediate past president of Worcester Vigornia Rotary Club, helping to support local charities.

Stephen is a regular worshiper at St Nicholas Church, a Trustee of the Lyppard Hub and has served on Warndon Parish Council.

Janet Lippett - Conservatives

Janet Lippett (Image: Janet Lippett)

Janet moved to Worcester in 1984 and she has lived in Warndon Villages for 17 years. Janet met her husband Tony through Worcester Rugby Club in 1999, both being supporters. Janet has been a Foster Carer since 2010 and works as a Teaching Assistant at Regency High School.

As a candidate for St Nicholas, Janet wants to put the interest of the residents first in council decision making.

She will work with the county council to improve the bus service. Janet will focus on improving the local footpaths, including on Hastings Drive. She will also work to get lighting installed on the old lane running alongside Cotswold Way, to make it safer. She will ensure that the nature reserves are at their best, as well as campaigning to ensure that those living in the villages receive a fair share of council funding.

Sarah Murray - Liberal Democrats

Sarah Murray (Image: Sarah Murray)

It has been an honour and a privilege to serve neighbours in St Nicholas at the Guildhall this year. I have certainly been busy. In that time I have helped people with a range of issues, communicated with officers to get work done, and moved a number of motions through council to protect women and girls from violence and secure officer time and money to improve our area.

The feedback received has repeatedly been ‘you have been of more help in a short time than the Conservatives were in 15 years’.  With more and more voters switching to Liberal Democrats, we remain a positive driving force in Worcester.

We have been overwhelmed by the strength of support we receive. I would love to represent you again at the Guildhall. Whichever party takes control of Worcester City Council in May will have control for the next four years. You can trust the Lib Dems to scrutinise and challenge public spending with integrity.

John Rudge - Liberal Democrats

John Rudge (Image: John Rudge)

It has been a tremendous privilege to serve as vice-chair of the parish council this year and to help encourage a non-party-political approach to solving many of the problems that arise. We continue to work with the city council to ensure more of the unadopted land - still owned by the building companies - is adopted, so that it can be managed more effectively.

I have worked closely with city council officers to address the problems of sedimentation in the Offerton Lane Nature Reserves which are a vital, and fantastic, local resource that require some much-needed remedial and repair work.

I enjoy working on behalf of local residents to ensure that everyone feels they have a voice and will be listened to.

It would be a great privilege to continue this work as a city councillor and help to develop a culture of cooperation in tackling the issues that affect us all.

Mike Stafford - Labour

Mike Stafford (Image: Mike Stafford)

I'm a local energy consultant who has lived in Worcester since 2006. Many of my happiest years have been spent raising my family within and near to St Nicholas.

I'm standing to help ensure everyone in our city can enjoy a good quality of life, supported by a strong Labour administration at every level of government.

As a parent, I firmly believe we need to protect and develop creative talent within the city, to give our young people more access to arts, education and culture.

We also need to build stronger links between schools, colleges, the university and local employers to help get young people ready for the workplace.

After 14 years of Tory chaos and failure, a vote for Labour is a vote to get Worcester's future back on track.

Chris Taylor - Labour

Chris Taylor (Image: Chris Taylor)

I’m a recently retired nurse who has lived in Worcester for over 30 years and will be standing in the St Nicholas ward. For 25 years I have worked in NHS hospitals in clinical areas in Worcester and the West Midlands.

I was previously elected as a city councillor for the St Martins ward in 1994 for a term of four years, during which time I served as chairperson of the environmental health committee.

Only a Labour-run council can support local people through the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and Labour is the only party that can build a majority at the Guildhall.

With that majority we can revitalise our local economy and support city businesses as well as tackle crime and anti-social behaviour. Labour will listen to you, Labour will be on your side. Let’s work together to build a brighter future for Worcester.

Clare Wratten - Green Party

Clare Wratten (Image: Clare Wratten)

I am standing for the Green Party in St Nicholas because the climate breakdown is the most pressing issue, and the Greens are the only party committed to safeguarding our planet. Social justice and equality are also high on my list of priorities.

I have lived in Worcester since 2015 and it is clear the Green councillors have already made such a positive impact in Worcester, by increasing the number of solar panel installations, working on new cycling and walking infrastructure, and getting more trees planted. These actions not only help ease our city’s traffic, they also help protect Worcester’s open spaces and help achieve better air quality.

St Nicholas is particularly well blessed with green spaces and I want to see these cared for and enhanced.

You can help keep up the momentum by voting for a party that is prepared to put the environment and local people first.