Ipswich Borough Council Elections - 2 May 2024

Alexandra Ward - Kelly Turner

Kelly lives in Ipswich with her husband and daughter. She moved here twenty years ago for a job at Ipswich Hospital, where she still works. She was raised in a Liberal Democrat household and her first vote was for Vince Cable while she was at University. Kelly is deeply committed to Ipswich and if elected, she would work hard to support the people of Alexandra Ward.

Castle Hill Ward - Martin Pakes

Born in Sweden, Martin moved around a lot in his childhood as his father was a civil engineer. After attending London University, Martin moved to Ipswich, where he has lived for some 36 years. Martin has been, successively, a Young Liberal, an SDP student and the first Ipswich Borough Councillor for the Liberal Democrats in 1994-8. After a break from politics, Martin is now back after the events of recent years: Martin has been campaigning in Castle Hill ward for the last three years with a rising vote – the formerly solid Tory ward has become marginal in that time. His major interest areas are the environment and transport.

Castle Hill residents will be receiving a personal communication from Martin during the campaign.

Gainsborough Ward - Amy Bendall

Amy has been a passionate and loyal Liberal Democrat her whole adult life, and a party member for many years. Born in Ipswich, Amy works locally and is raising her two young children in the town. Interested in a broad range of local issues, Amy has particular expertise in healthcare, retail and the environment.

Gipping Ward - Gerald Pryke

Gerald writes:

"For all but two years of my working life, I had roles supporting young people and adults in their career decision making and helping them achieve their career goals. This experience of meeting a range of individuals within different settings and working with other professionals, reinforced my belief that education is the key to unlocking potential and thereby enhancing individual life chances. My parents always told me 'education can't be taken away from you'. Education is, therefore, my major area of interest.

I joined the Liberal Democrat Party in the 1980's because it embraced the key concepts of putting people first, the shared society all within strong communities. I retired to Ipswich in 2017 with my wife having previously worked in Hertfordshire and then Exeter. Ipswich was one of several areas we considered moving to in order to be nearer family and it was by far the best place we looked at based on no preconceived ideas about what Ipswich and the other places we considered would be like.

If elected to the Borough Council, I will listen to the views and ideas of the people living in the Gipping community and work with them to make their area a better environment to live and work. I am willing to listen and learn from Gipping area residents and to take any decisions based on evidence."

Holywells Ward - Robert Chambers

Son of former Mayor Jane Chambers, Robert has been an active member of Ipswich Liberal Democrats for over 10 years. Robert is passionate about local issues and would work with local residents to achieve the best possible outcomes. He hopes to serve the residents of Holywells in future years.

Priory Heath Ward - Conrad Packwood

Conrad has cerebral palsy but has lived independently for 30 years. He has always been interested in politics and for many years supported the Labour Party but in 2015 became disillusioned with them and joined the Liberal Democrats to continue his campaigning to improve Ipswich.

Conrad has made a significant contribution to the work of Ipswich Liberal democrats and the Liberal Democrats Disability Association. Because of his disability he faces great challenges when communicating verbally but his mastery of modern technology has opened up new possibilities.

Conrad is also keenly interested in ensuring that Ipswich is accessible to people with limited mobility and campaigns to improve pedestrian safety. If elected he would bring a fresh and new perspective to council debates and work to ensure the public spaces of Suffolk are accessible to all.

Rushmere Ward - Lucy Drake

Lucy writes:

"I have lived in Ipswich for over 30 years and raised my family here. I am a retired town planner who has worked for several local authorities, and for central government as a planning inspector, deciding planning appeals nationally. This has given me a good grasp of how local authorities work, or don't, for the interests of their communities. Since retiring I have led or been involved with several lpswich­based community and environmental projects.

I have been a Liberal Democrat supporter all my adult life and believe that their values of openness, tolerance, a willingness to listen to all sides of an argument and work with others to come to a fair outcome, even if that involves compromise, is the best way to make decisions and achieve change. At a local level, it is especially important to listen to individuals and how 'the bigger picture' is affecting them.

If elected as ward councillor for Rushmere ward I would challenge the Ipswich Labour administration’s policies where they are having unwelcome consequences for the·ward and offer an alternative listening ear, and voice, to local people."

Sprites Ward - Robin Whitmore

Robin has Iived in Ipswich for all of his 54 years and was born and brought up in Gainsborough Ward. He stood for election in Gainsborough Ward and was second to Labour in the 1994 borough council election when they threatened closure of Ipswich Airport. A member of the Liberal Democrat party and its predecessors since 1984, he formed an Alliance Society at college and after graduating worked for the party as an organiser in the East Midlands until the 1987 General election.

From 1992-1994 he was Business Manager for LiberaI Democrat News. At the 2002 Ipswich borough elections he successfully steered the party to win 4 seats and laid the foundations for the eventual 9 seats they held from 2004- 2011. He has worked as a Political Assistant to the Liberal Democrat Leaders in Chelmsford Borough, Norwich City & the lsle of Wight.Most recently he was agent to Sir Bob RusselI, MP in Colchester.

  He is currently a part time researcher and supporting artist having retired as a Royal Mail postman in 2023 after 11 years. He’s been married to Hilary since 1988.

St John's Ward - Giles Turner

St John's residents will be receiving a personal communication from Giles during the campaign.

St Margaret's Ward - Oliver Holmes

Oliver Holmes will be defending his council seat in St Margaret's ward in order to continue to serve St Margaret's residents on the Borough Council, alonside Councillors Inga and Tim Lockington.

St Margaret's residents will be receiving a personal letter from Oliver during the campaign.

Stoke Park Ward - Henry Williams

Henry writes:

“Residents and business owners across lpswich deserve decent hardworking Councillors like our current Lib Dem Councillors Inga, Oliver and Tim who put the needs of Ipswich residents at the fore-front of what they do. I believe that the people across Ipswich deserve to be listened to in the same way.

Ipswich is a beautiful town. In the past promises have been made that big plans will come to fruition in lpswich. However, the reality has been somewhat different. The plans for the upper Orwell crossing and Cornhill redevelopment ended in disappointment for many residents and business-owners across Ipswich. You deserve better.

A vote for Liberal Democrats is a vote for much needed change in the Borough to fix the mistakes of the recent past. Be ambitious, seek change and look to the future.

Vote Liberal Democrat on May 2nd 2024”

Westgate Ward - Martin Hore

Martin writes:

"I recently retired after 24 years as Suffolk County Council's Outdoor Education Officer. In this role I advised and supported locaI schools in all aspects of  school trips and adventure activities for their pupils. I'm proud that during this time very many Suffolk young people were able to benefit from these opportunities.

In my role at the County Council, I learned about how Councils work and how to get things done. I believe a Councillor's job is to listen to the concerns of local people and make the Council work for you. That' s the Liberal Democrat way.

My wife and I have lived in central lpswich for nearly 35 years. We now live in Valley Road close to the junction with Norwich Road and Chevallier Street. I am very aware of the traffiic congestion in this area and share residents' concerns about air quality. We need to look very carefully at how to tackle these issues as new housing is built in and around Ipswich which could make things worse."

Whitehouse Ward - Immo Weichert

Immo was born in Germany and is married to a Canadian. They have two teenage children. Immo came to the UK 23 years ago having been head-hunted for a job within the NHS. He is currently a consultant in acute medicine at Ipswich Hospital. He is keen to stay in the UK and help the NHS and Ipswich be successful whatever obstacles the Government puts in the way.

Whitton Ward - Nick Jacob

Nick has lived in Ipswich for over 40 years and is founder and senior partner of NJ Architects, a practice that has grown and developed over many years and is based in Ipswich. He has been a member of the Liberal Democrats since their inception and he would like to see Ipswich become an even more vibrant, cohesive and attractive place in which to work and live. He has a particular interest in sustainability and the built environment.