Worcester elections 2024: St Peter's ward candidates

Like a number of parts of Worcester, it has recently seen success for Green Party candidates.

Steve Cockeram defeated Tory candidate Anja Potze in May 2022 by 896 to 643 and Elena Round joined her Green colleague on the city council a year later, beating the Conservatives’ James Woolgar by 817 votes to 523.

This time around, eight candidates are competing for two seats on Worcester City Council when the polls open on Thursday, May 2.

Jenny Benfield - Labour

Jenny Benfield (Image: Jenny Benfield)

I am a proud mum of two adopted children, being one of the first disabled people in the country to be allowed to adopt. I worked for over twenty years in media communication in the health service and in local government and have experience with English Heritage. I have also taught English to Muslim students in the Middle East.  

I am standing for the Labour Party because it founded the NHS and its championing of equal opportunity enabled me to live an independent lifestyle. I now want to make the lives of ordinary Worcester people better and consider only the Labour Party has a robust plan to do so. After 14 years of Tory failure, we desperately need change.

What would that change look like in St Peter’s? Better support for local businesses, investment in skills and training for local people and better play and leisure facilities for children and young people.

Ken Carpenter - Liberal Democrats

Ken Carpenter (Image: Ken Carpenter)

Ken was educated at Cambridge and joined RSRE in 1987, where he worked on an airborne collision avoidance system that is now carried on nearly all passenger aircraft.

He was a Malvern Hills District councillor for eight years and a Worcester City councillor for four years. He married Sue when he moved to Worcester in 2005.  He knows politicians evade; and hopes he does not.

Since the NHS and social care are not city council responsibilities, Ken’s priorities for this election are to encourage Worcester to develop as a vibrant and community focused city, with clean air, green spaces, and a green economy based on local skills.

Public transport should be attractive, frequent and stitched together. The council needs to prepare for further climate change and carbon neutrality. Most topically, we need a realistic and comprehensive plan to provide travellers’ sites that excludes unsuitable locations such as the Ketch Field.

Steve Cockeram - Green Party

Steve Cockeram (Image: Steve Cockeram)

I am a GP partner at Spring Gardens Medical Centre and a Green Party city councillor and as such I bring a unique perspective to local government. My wife is a special educational needs teaching assistant, and we have four children - one studying at Worcester Sixth Form College and another at Nunnery Wood High School, while two have embarked on their own journeys beyond the nest.

It has been an honour to represent our residents over the past two years. St Peter’s is a wonderful place to live, yet it lacks facilities for both young people and older adults. Our community deserves better active travel connections and bus services. We urgently need to assess and mitigate the impact of the southern link road on air quality and noise pollution within the parish.

Together, we can work towards a brighter future for St Peter’s - one that is inclusive, sustainable and responsive to the needs of all its residents.

Steve Mackay - Conservatives

Steve Mackay (Image: Steve Mackay)

While visiting residents of St Peter’s, nearly all express their enjoyment of living there. As a councillor, Steve believes it’s his responsibility to maintain and improve services in our wards, ensuring that people continue to enjoy being a resident there. Now retired, married, and with grandchildren, Steve fully understands the problems individuals face.

Many simply want to get on with their lives without having to endure an untidy environment or antisocial behaviour. Despite occasional issues like vandalism and theft, St Peter’s remains a low-crime area, and Steve wants it to stay that way.

Going forward, he will actively engage with council officers, the Safer Neighbourhood Police team, and the parish council to foster an environment where everyone can take pride in living.

John Renshaw - Liberal Democrats

John Renshaw (Image: John Renshaw)

I’ve lived in St Peter’s for the past 20 years, joining St Peter’s Parish Council in 2019 and more recently becoming its chairman. I voiced your concerns about a travellers caravan site on the Ketch Field to the city council planning committee last September.

Sites are needed but the Ketch isn’t an appropriate location. In my back garden I can hear the noise and speeding traffic on the Southern Link Road. Iknow many local residents want to see more action taken to curb this.

If elected I would also support St Peter’s Village Hall Association in securing additional funding to complete the village hall extension and push for the completion of the Battenhall Park pump track, which would encourage local children to play in our parks rather than the streets. I would also oppose attempts to introduce ‘street art’ onto local footbridges which would further urbanise the local environment.

Elena Round - Green Party

Elena Round (Image: Elena Round)

My husband and I have three children, one of whom has learning difficulties and complex physical needs. It took years of hard work and determination to get the county council to provide the essential support and care that our son desperately needs. I now work for a local disability charity supporting other families in the same situation. I want Worcester to be an inclusive and accessible city.

I have found great satisfaction in serving my local area and using my professional training as a solicitor and a small business owner to get things done. During the last year I have learnt how important it is to listen to the community and give them a voice.

St Peter’s is already a wonderful place to live, but new challenges are developing that will need clear leadership and a detailed understanding of residents’ views. I want to use my experience to ensure that St Peter’s continues to be a fantastic place to live for years to come.

Stephen Tallett - Labour

Stephen Tallett (Image: Stephen Tallett)

I’m a retired businessman who has lived in St Peter’s Parish for over 30 years, during which time I’ve got to know the area and the people who live there well.

I’ve served the Worcester community in several voluntary roles, including working at St Richard’s Hospice, Youth Support Services, Worcester Sixth Form College, and The Glade Sexual Assault Referral Centre.

A vote for me is a vote for fairness, honesty, and the provision of high quality and efficient services.

Looking to maintain and improve the environment in St Peter’s and helping to create a sustainable city for now and future generations. Revitalising the local economy and supporting city businesses. Working to support our citizens through the cost of living crisis.

I am proud to be standing for Labour in this election and look forward to having the opportunity to represent the local needs of the residents of St Peter’s Parish.

James Woolgar - Conservatives

No profile or picture provided.