Tim Wakeley Stands As Liberal Democrat Candidate In Binstead & Fishbourne By-Election

Liberal Democrat candidate, Tim Wakeley will be standing in the Binstead & Fishbourne By-election on 23rd June 2011. Ed

Tim WakeleyOn June the 23rd there will be a By-election in Binstead and Fishbourne and with the help of local residents, opposition to the damaging cuts to front line public services that meet the needs of the elderly, the young and the most vulnerable in our community can be strengthened.

Tim pledges to resist cuts to front line public services and demonstrate that there are viable alternatives to this wholesale destruction.

Currently Tim is actively fighting two campaigns:

  1. Through the IOW Association of Local Councils, Tim is seeking to mitigate the damage being done to the Island Youth Service by the IOW Council by establishing a dialogue between Town and Parish Councils and the IOW Council who so far have ignored nearly everyone, including most young people and the Police.
  2. Tim is also trying to ‘broker’ a deal between the IOW Council and the Ryde Town Council whereby the public conveniences in Binstead (closed by the Conservative IOW Council) may be re-opened (there is now a moratorium on any further action on this issue until after the election).

Help to build a stronger Island
Additional to campaigning Tim also works hard to help build a stronger Island.

With a real concern for the future economy Tim helped to bring a senior government Minister to the Island to talk face to face with local transport and renewable energy industries. The meeting was very successful in that direct links were forged between the government Minister and Island business.

It is through this wider work that effective and experienced Councillors can help the Island economy, building on businesses already here and developing links with government departments.

Tim was very pleased to have played a leading role in the successful campaign to get the IOW Council to reverse its decision to close the ‘outstanding’ Binstead Primary School. Happily the school now flourishes and teaches his grandson.

It is the quality of the individual that represents Binstead in County Hall that will make the difference, not their political affiliations. In this respect the best qualified individual is Tim Wakeley who has the range and diversity of experience in both local government and commercial sectors together with a deep belief in social justice demonstrated over many years of working for the community.

Biographical details
Tim is married to Maria and has two adult daughters and two grandsons.

Born in Ryde and raised in Binstead Tim attended Binstead Primary School and Ryde Secondary Modern before going on to the ‘Technical College’ in Newport as part of his apprenticeship in making surgical appliances.

After completing his apprenticeship Tim joined Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) to work with Bishop Trevor Huddleston in Tanzania establishing an orthopaedic workshop and training local people to make appliances from locally available materials.

Youth and Community Development Work
Qualified as a Youth and Community worker at Liverpool University, 1970

Worked in London and on the Island before becoming an established trainer and lecturer at Durham University (Youth and Community Work)

Area Community Education Officer, Brentwood, Essex, 1981

Senior Management Experience
Head of the Youth Service in Essex (for 11 years). During this time Tim earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) and applied this learning and his experience to develop and expand the range of services available to young people in Essex. The Essex Youth Service continues to deliver the innovative programmes established at the time.

Commercial enterprise
Tim managed his own very successful research and project development consultancy working with local authorities, charities, Business/Education Partnerships and local radio.

Voluntary work
17 years, Essex Prince’s Trust (finishing as Chair of the County Committee)

East Anglian Region Lottery Community Fund (finishing as Vice Chairman)

Lay Member to the an NHS Trust Research and Development Group

Previous Councillor experience
Brentwood Borough Councillor, Vice Chair of the Planning Authority

Parish Councillor, Chairman of Planning Committee

Current Activities include
Ryde Town Councillor for the Binstead Ward, Chair of Planning

Ryde Youth Centre Management Committee, Chairman

Ryde Skateboard Park Steering Group, newly appointed Chairman.