Radcliffe North & Ainsworth Councillors

Alongside this, I have worked as a paid and unpaid youth worker for around 34 years. I help organise Radcliffe Litter Pickers and I have been a committee member of Bury Folk Keep it Green, fighting against the destruction of our Green Belt since 2016.

I am the Chair and Trustee of a Bury charity, which is a self-catering facility in the Lake District. This charity offers the opportunity for young people in Bury to access the outdoors.

In my free time, I enjoy playing team sport and I am a member of a gym. I am a keen hill walker which I combine with my voluntary work with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award where I teach map and camping skills to young people.

I have been involved with Radcliffe First since the very first meeting back in March 2019. I have mostly been in the background, generally helping out, however, this changed last year when I was asked to take on a more formal role as Deputy Leader.

I don’t want Radcliffe to go back to ‘how it used to be’. I want it to grow and move forward. I want residents who don’t traditionally ‘get involved’ to start getting involved in our communities. By helping to make decisions about what we want for our town and having some ownership in change, we will in turn, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour which can only be a good thing.

• I would like to see a replacement school that offers excellent education for our young people.

• I want our Green Belt to stay green and Bury Council to start thinking more creatively about the design and placement of new buildings.

• I want our council to employ skilled people, who have an investment in our town, rather than consultants, who get paid regardless, for telling us the obvious.

• I want our council to address the underlying causes of litter and fly tipping, not simply cleaning up after the event.

• I want facilities that local people want to use. Such as community and sports spaces which will improve health and wellbeing and reduce loneliness.

• I want shopping and leisure spaces in the town centre that bring people in from outside Radcliffe and makes them spend their time and money here.

• I do NOT want to see the implementation of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone. If I have the opportunity to vote on this issue in the future, as a councillor, I will certainly be voting against it.

I am delighted to be representing residents of Radcliffe North and Ainsworth ward and I will do my very best to make some positive changes for us all.

Email Andrea: a.booth@bury.gov.uk

My work history has been quite varied. In my teens I worked in my grandfather’s garage doing a variety of jobs. After college, I worked at Bolton Technical College as a technician and I then moved to Germany for 18 months calibrating diesel pumps. I married, returned to the UK and resumed working as a science technician in two schools and a 6th form college. I moved on to teach mathematics in an inner-city boys’ school for over 10 years. I opened up a shop in Radcliffe which unfortunately was not successful. I then had various sales representative jobs, market research and office administration prior to retirement.

I have always had an interest in current affairs, but have yet to have any active involvement in politics. During recent years I have contemplated more active involvement culminating in my decision to join the Green Party in 2017. I was invited to represent them in the local elections, within Radcliffe East ward, but it became apparent that the party thought I was lacking in political experience and eventually admitted that they just wanted a ‘paper candidate’ which I immediately rejected, and resigned from the party.

Despite it being very close to election day, I decided that I would like to stand as an independent candidate. Although I had very little time to prepare, I think the fact that I was able to produce and distribute all my own leaflets on a shoe string, and achieve a reasonable result, showed that it was possible to make an impact within the ward.

You will find that I have quite a pragmatic approach. I will pursue a task to the best of my ability and ask for help when required. I strongly believe in fairness, openness and transparency. I am keen to be guided by facts rather than opinion and my views would change if the facts change.

I am very proactive within the community with various organisations which are making improvements to the town including Radcliffe Litter Pickers, Bury Folk Keep it Green, Manchester, Bury & Bolton Canal Society, Little Britain Anglers and Incredible Edibles.

I do not support the building on the Green Belt. I support the building of housing in the area but there is sufficient brownfield land for the development of much needed affordable housing.

I support the work of the police in dealing with the increasing anti-social behaviour and will promote and encourage more youth clubs and activities.

My two major priorities for the town are the development of the new high school and the regeneration of the town centre. I will continue to ensure that these plans also remain a priority for Bury Council.

I do NOT support the Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone. It has been poorly thought out, it is unfair to businesses and does not target the full range of pollution problems.

I have been keenly following the progress of Radcliffe First and while mostly keeping in the background, I am pleased with its values and how it has developed. I know I have the determination, ability and skills to raise the profile of Radcliffe First.

Email Donald: d.berry@bury.gov.uk