Category: District Ward

• Uttlesford District Debden and Wimbish Ward (Councillor)

Stewart is committed to Debden village and the local area having lived there for about 40 years. He has organised Debden fetes, barn dances and other events. He served as a councillor in his 40s and again now that he has retired for the last 6 years. He’s both a Debden parish and a district councillor. At UDC he serves on the scrutiny and governance committees, and is topic lead for aviation.

Stewart is a keen member of the Royal British Legion and until 2018 was a local Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal Coordinator. In 2018 he trained as a Standard Bearer and represented Debden on the Royal British Legion GP90 pilgrimage march to Ypres and the WW1 battlefields.

He has spent a career in aviation. Stewart remains a qualified flying instructor, air display organiser, display pilot, training captain, and Jumbo Jet pilot. With this expertise and local knowledge, he served on Stansted Airport Consultative Group with a particular interest in dealing with aircraft noise and overflight issues for the surrounding villages. This experience makes him the ideal candidate to support Council brief for Uttlesford’s biggest employer, Stansted Airport.

Stewart is particularly supportive of youth and education initiatives, where he seeks to combine his passion for flying with developing life skills in the next generation.  He started out as a member of the Air Cadets, an organisation for which Stewart says he has a high regard. He is a past chairman of 1824 Sqdn (Saffron Walden) ATC and past leader of Debden Youth Club and supports Scouts weekend aviation camps.

As an Executive Committee Member of the Light Aircraft Association Stewart championed flying for younger members. In 2003 he invented and sponsored the first UK Youth Build-a- Plane Project, which is now sponsored by Boeing and The Royal Aeronautical Society. On the back of Stewart’s initial endeavours over 30 kit planes have been built and/or flown by young people.

Stewart also volunteers as a STEM Ambassador visiting schools in Essex to inspire young people about life & career options, and has been a member of the General Aviation All Party Parliamentary Group for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.

In his spare time Stewart enjoys family life, playing badminton, sailing & boating, flying in light aircraft and driving classic cars.

• Uttlesford District Elsenham and Henham Ward (Councillor)

Petrina Lees is a very active member of her community. She has lived in Elsenham for over 20 years with her husband, and their family. She cooks for the Lunch Club, runs the Elsenham Rainbow Guides and manages the village rounders team.

She is also well qualified as a councillor. She served on Elsenham parish council for 17 years including 3 years as chair. Petrina has been part of the leadership team of Save Our Villages for 9 years, helping secure last year’s planning rejection of ‘Hellsenham’ by the Secretary of State. She is also a member of the Joint Parishes Council Steering Group.

Outside of the home she enjoyed a career in nursing of more than 30 years, most recently caring for the terminally ill, but left the NHS a couple of years ago to concentrate on her family and community activities.

Petrina stood as an Independent in 2015 and was elected as an R4U councillor for the Uttlesford District Elsenham and Henham ward in 2017.

Petrina said “The first thing we addressed after being elected was the appalling state of the road outside the local shops in Elsenham.  For over 15 years there have been numerous complaints. As Parish Councillors we were always told by District Councillors that they were ‘unable to help or fix it because it was the responsibility of the county council’. That’s as may be, but it is shirking and rubbish, and that attitude holds no truck with me. People don’t care what council you are elected to. As a district councillors part of your job is to advocate for local people and hold those responsible to account, even at other authorities. Within 6 months of being elected we facilitated and contributed to the road being resurfaced. My motto is ‘never give up’ – there is always a way, you just have to think outside the box sometimes.”

• Uttlesford District Sampfords Ward (Councillor)

Dr Mike is a well-known and respected GP from the Thaxted Practice who delivered healthcare to the residents of surrounding villages from 1986 until he recently retired. He is a strong supporter of environmental causes and protecting our rural villages and countryside. He became a district councillor in 2019 and sits on the Standards and Licensing Committees.

Mike says:

I have worked as a rural GP based in Thaxted for more than 30 years. I feel privileged to have got to know many local residents and where they live. I wish to work to preserve the tranquillity and biodiversity of our communities, but know, to be sustained, that they must be supported with such things as improved facilities, broadband, and local services.

I am proud be a councillor for R4U because it respects local residents and delivers positive, practical change without the constraints of Westminster political control.

• Uttlesford District Thaxted and the Eastons Ward (Councillor)
• Essex County Thaxted Division (Councillor)

Residents champion Martin is one of Uttlesford’s longest serving and most respected councillors. He’s represented the Thaxted and now Thaxted and the Eastons ward at UDC since 1995. He’s a strong and active local voice who campaigns for our environment, and against airport expansion, urban sprawl on our fields, and the closing of the local libraries.

Martin lives in Thaxted with his wife Claire.

• Uttlesford District Saffron Walden Audley Ward (Councillor)
• Saffron Walden Town Council - Shire Ward (Councillor)

Arthur Coote is a well-respected councillor for Saffron Walden. He was born in the town where he lives with his wife. Arthur is active in many aspects of town life including the Baptist Church. Key interest areas for him are community, equality, youth development and sports.

He’s is a family man who is committed to youth development. Arthur is a director and manager of the Bell Nursery in Saffron Walden and member of the charity Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY). Two of his children have followed him into education as both are head-teachers, and the third has followed a career in law.

Arthur is a lifelong member of Essex Cricket Club and a strong advocate for sports and healthy lifestyles. He’s been active in the funding and design of new playgrounds by Saffron Walden Town Council, and been working to provide more open spaces and sports facilities.

Nationally and locally Arthur has been a long-time supporter of the Labour Party. He was elected as a councillor to Saffron Walden Town Council in 2015 and serves as Mayor for the 2019/2020 year. Like a number of councillors from all the main national parties, he joined R4U in 2019 to create a difference locally.

Arthur Coote says “Over the last 50 years I have taken part in hundreds of campaigns for Labour candidates. I have stood for office to try to create a more equal society and have been a member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party. Over the last 4 years it’s become clear that the best way to represent local residents and uphold the ideals I stand for at the district council is by joining R4U. R4U has shown they care about the community’s future and want to create a positive difference for local people. They’ve proven that they are the only party that has the skills and support to deliver for local people. In my mind it’s simple: I will continue to vote for Labour on national issues, but am standing for R4U to deliver local things for local residents. I urge others to vote local Resident for local matters.”