Cllr Ian Marks commitment to Lymm ward has never been in doubt, but he may have even more time to devote to our ward after May 5th.
For the last five years Cllr Marks has led the Lib Dem-Conservative coalition on Warrington Borough Council, but Labour are confident of ending that spell this time. They need just one seat to take control.
It is a difficult time for the Lib Dems. These are the first local elections they have faced as part of a government since the Second World War. The party has often benefited from protest votes against Conservative or Labour governments. Now they are part of it.
So it will be a testing time for Cllr Marks who’s been a Lymm councillor for 28 years. He has sat on the parish council even longer and fought to represent the area in parliament three times. He’s chairman of the Lymm Festival and recently became a member of the new Local Enterprise Partnership for Warrington and Cheshire.
In 2007 Cllr Marks had a majority of 853, but last year his colleague Bob Barr won with a much more modest margin of 272 over Conservative challenger Harish Sharma who is standing again.
Mr Sharma has only lived in the Lymm area for 4 years but has become very busy on the local scene. He is a very active member of the Governing Body of Lymm High School, Warrington’s Stronger Together Neighbourhoods Board and the Lymm Youth Club.
A chartered accountant, his hobby is collecting watches. So has his time come to represent Lymm?
Not if Su Williams has anything to do with it. I’m tempted to say everyone knows Labour’s candidate. Every year Su hosts “Art in the Garden” at her home as part of the Lymm Festival. Part of the display is work done by prisoners. Trying to turn round damaged lives is a cause Su spends much time on.
She has also played a major part in turning round the fortunes of Lymm’s Youth and Community Centre and works with the juniors on a Wednesday night.
When Ian Marks last stood in Lymm, his Conservative opponent was James Ashington. Mr Ashington is now flying UKIP’s colours. He is an experienced Lymm Parish councillor having been chairman 3 times and founded the Lymm Festival. He has the widest grin in local politics and hopes to still be smiling on May 6th.
