TODAY is your last chance to make up your mind about who you are going to vote for in the Local Elections for both Town and District Councils, tomorrow.
So, whether you want to support those councillors seeking re-election, or go for a ‘clean sweep’, tomorrow is YOUR chance to make a difference by using your vote.
In the last of our series, where ThameNews.Net brings you details of all the candidates standing in both Thame North and Thame South Wards, here are details of the candidates standing on behalf of the Labour Party and the two Independent candidates:
LABOUR
THAME NORTH
Mary Stiles retired in March from a career in education, most recently in the Oxfordshire Adult Learning service as Curriculum Manager for Languages. She has lived in Thame for 38 years and worked here for more than 20 years. Her two grown up daughters were educated at John Hampden and Lord Williams?s schools. Mary has always been actively involved in the community and previously served as a Town Councillor for 12 years and a District Councillor for 8 years. She chaired several committees, including the Town Council?s Parks and Recreation committee and the Northern Area Planning Committee at SODC. She is a governor of John Hampden School, a trustee of Thame CAB and is a member of the steering committee and the community working group of 21st Century Thame, which is currently concentrating on facilities for young people. She is also a volunteer leader for Thame Health Walks. Mary is standing in both District and Town elections.
Andy Gunn has lived and worked in Thame for the past twenty eight years and has three children who all attended Lord Williams?s School. He was a lecturer at Rycotewood College for twenty years and continues to lecture on history, architecture and design for the WEA, the Women?s Institute and history groups. He was formerly a District councillor for four years and a Town councillor for eight years (1995 to 2003), chairing the Town Council Policy and Resources committee. He currently chairs the Environment Group of ?21st Century Thame? which recently organised a successful Swop Shop event at the Town Hall. Andy is standing for the Town Council.
THAME SOUTH
Euan Aitken has lived in Towersey since 1980 and is retired from a senior position in retailing; for a time he ran bed & breakfast accommodation on his smallholding in Towersey, where previously he had farmed sheep and free-range poultry. He is a strong family man, with 5 grown-up children and 9 grandchildren. His particular interests are in obtaining better provision for the elderly and improved supply and availability of affordable housing. He has been active in local politics for many years; he is Treasurer of Henley Constituency Labour Party and Vice-Chair of the Thame & Chinnor Branch and he has acted as the constituency party agent at general elections. Euan is standing in the District election.
Adam Buckland has been a Town Councillor for the last four years and; he serves on two council committees and is vice-chair of the open spaces group. He has become involved with a number of community groups including the Thame Football partnership, Thame in Bloom and he is on the Youth Centre council. He is married with two young children (one just started at St. Joseph?s Primary School); he lives in Thame and has run a successful local business for 12 years. Recently he has made use of his artistic talents by designing the improvements to the War Memorial and the Pearce memorial gardens and he is currently working on a design for the adjoining garden. Adam is standing for re-election to the Town Council.
Eric Crouch was brought up in Abingdon and moved to Thame from Didcot in 1982. He retired in 2003 from full time practice as an NHS consultant and medical manager and now works part time for the health service. He is interested in sport (he is a long standing member of Thame Runners) and the arts (he runs a music web site) and served for a time as a local councillor in Didcot. He is currently secretary of Thame & Chinnor Branch Labour Party and minute secretary of Henley Constituency Labour Party. He is married with two grown up children who attended John Hampden and Lord Williams?s Schools. Eric is standing for the Town Council.
INDEPENDENT -South Ward
Ann Midwinter has lived in Thame for most of her life and is married with two daughters and three grandchildren who all reside in Thame. She represented the Ward on the town council for eight years (1986-93)and was Mayor of Thame in 1990-91. Ann has been a District councillor since 1999 and is seeking re-election. She is a member of the district council’s Planning, Standards, Audit Corporate Governance and Corporate Scrutiny Committees.
She is associated with Thame Welfare Trust, is a Director of Thame Show and Chair of the Thame Housing Association. Ann also represents SODC on Thame Sports and Leisure and on the Thames Valley Local Area Policing Board.
Beatrice Dobie was born in, and has lived most of her life in Thame and served as a town councillor since 1987 where she has served on all three main committees. She has twice been Deputy Mayor. She is currently Vice Chair of the Planning and Policy Resources committees, as well as a member of the Cuttlebrook Management Committee. Beatrice was the council representative on the, soon to be relaunched as the Neighbourhood Action Group, Community Safety Committee and is a Nominated Trustee of the Thame Museum Trust. Two years ago, she was involved with a working party set up to organise the Council’s Christmas Tea Party for the senior citizens of Thame, and also in 2005, took over the organising of the Community Network Bi-monthly lunches.
Beatrice is a member of the Trefoil Guild of Guiding and is Vice Chair of the League of Friends of Thame Community Hospital, and is an active supporter of Thame Players, helping with front of house.
NORTH WARD
Lionel Morbey has lived in Thame for 42 years and served on the town council for 8 years on various committees including Planning and Traffic Advisory.
His hobbies include renovating old cars, DIY and cycling, a passion he has brought to the Thame Walking and Cycling group.
REMINDER: Polling stations in Thame (listed on your polling card) will be open from 7am until 10pm.
As soon as the results are declared, they will be placed on the District Council web site: www.southoxon.gov.uk, probably around late morning on Friday, May 4.
Photo: From top left: Adam Buckland, Mary Stiles, Eric Crouch; From bottom left: Euan Aitken, Beatrice Dobie, Lionel Morbey and Ann Midwinter.