Test Valley candidates Bellinger, Blackwater and Bourne Valley

These are the candidates and their own words as to why they are standing.

Bellinger

George David Johnson (Liberal Democrats)

He worked in Hampshire primary schools for 37 years. For 27 of those years, he was acting as headteacher in two different schools, both of which were in the Test Valley.

He has been an active Liberal for many years standing for Parliament at three general elections. (Sadly the electorate was so ill-advised that he failed to be elected).

He served on Test Valley Council and as chair of the housing committee negotiated with the Greater London Council when some of the overspill housing failed to reach acceptable standards.

He stands for election at this time because he is committed to public service for the benefit and greater good of all in the community.

His firm view is that all of the ills which are evident in our current situation, potholed roads, striking doctors and nurses, failing schools, sewage in our rivers and on our beaches, etc are directly attributable to bad political decision-making.

TVBC needs renewing with new councillors who have fresh ideas.

Phil Lashbrook (Local Conservatives)

Phil is married to Linda, who is also a borough councillor. Phil represents Bellinger, which is a rural ward, to the west of Andover. A borough councillor for 22 years, Phil is currently the Deputy Mayor and serves on planning, licensing, community safety, Hampshire Police and Crime Panel and is the Community Resilience Champion. Phil has earned a reputation for his stance on the protection of our countryside and the unique character of our rural heritage. Described by those in his ward as the 24-hour councillor, Phil is always ready to respond day or night.

Blackwater

Nick Adams-King (Local Conservatives)

Nick has been one of Blackwater’s TVBC councillors for eight years. He’s also county councillor for Romsey Rural. A chartered surveyor by profession he lives in Awbridge with his family. Nick is active on social media, ensuring residents are kept up to date with local news and has been proactive in responding to concerns raised by local people. He’s passionate about protecting the wonderful countryside of his ward and pursuing the fly-tippers who occasionally defile it.

Gordon Leslie Bailey (Local Conservatives)

Gordon and his wife Sue have lived in Wellow for 26 years. A former parish councillor, Gordon has served as your TVBC counciillor for 18 years. His priority is to conserve our area against any high levels of development, he and Nick will continue to work hard to protect Blackwater Ward and its people.

Andrew Robert Beesley (Liberal Democrats)

No comments.

Christopher Leonard Craig (Independent)

Contacted, no answer.

Thomas Harold George Ezard (Liberal Democrats)

I moved to Awbridge in 2013 when I joined the University of Southampton, where I am now a professor in the School of Ocean and Earth Science.

I served as honorary treasurer for five years for Awbridge Primary School’s Parent Teacher Association and for six years for the British Ecological Society, both registered charities.

At work, I am deputy head of school (education) with overall responsibility for ensuring all the school’s education programmes are compliant with government regulations. My research addresses fundamental outstanding questions on evolution in the sea while also building evidence bases for more effective conservation actions of charismatic species like Eider ducks, Bewick’s Swans and Puffins.

With your support, I intend to bring this evidence-led, transparent approach to decision-making within Blackwater and on Test Valley Borough Council.

Jason Martin Reeves (Green Party)

Jason is passionate about making Test Valley a fairer, greener, happier community. He wants a council that works for people and communities, whilst being kind to the planet that supports us all. Jason will work hard to: make development and housebuilding truly sustainable; support energy efficiency retrofitting; improve public transport, cycleways and footpaths; and help residents benefit from reducing their carbon emissions and environmental impacts. When you Vote Green on May 4, you will help to elect hardworking councillors, like Jason, committed to making Test Valley a fairer, greener, happier community.

Bourne Valley

Phil North (Local Conservatives)

Phil is leader of Test Valley has been an active councillor for 16 years. He regularly and proactively engages with residents both in person and on social media. Keeping people up to date with the council’s plans and feeding in their views. He is passionate about the regeneration of town centres, leading the efforts to purchase the Chantry Centre, create the new park at Town Mills and secure the money for the extension of river corridor along Western Avenue. As well as working flat out for the people of Bourne Valley, he is focused on delivering the rest of the Andover Masterplan.

Graham Nicholas Walters (Liberal Democrats)

I was born in Herefordshire and lived most of my early life in Ross-on-Wye, a town very similar to Andover in size. I served in the Royal Navy aboard surface ships and nuclear submarines for most of my adult life. I moved to Andover with my family in 2002, and I would now like to have an influence on the shape of the borough and town in the years to come that has adopted me.

I would like to see both the borough and town councils have more control over the new builds that are happening in and around the town, and in the rural areas. There is a real danger that villages will be absorbed into the Andover urban sprawl. My other concerns are the state of the roads and pavements, the lack of recycling facilities, improving the cycle paths, and setting up incentives for people to “cycle to work.” I also feel we should be encouraging heavy industry to move out of the town, removing HGVs from the residential as well as rural roads.

READ MORE: Test Valley election candidates profiles – Andover St Mary’s

SEE ALSO: Test Valley election candidates in Ampfield & Braishfield and Andover Downlands