In the buildup to the 2021 local election taking place next Thursday, OTS News has interviewed 15 election candidates from Southport and Freshfield vying for a seat on Sefton Council.
Recorded video interviews with the 15 interview candidates are now available to view on our YouTube channel, and are linked below. Additional participation including Zoom interviews and text submissions will be included in ward summary videos, which will be published periodically over the next few days.
Every candidate standing in Ainsdale, Birkdale, Cambridge, Dukes, Harington, Kew, Meols and Norwood was offered a 5 minute recorded interview with three set questions: Tell us about yourself. What is the most important issue in your ward? Why should people vote for you?
Where a candidate could not attend, an online interview was offered or a 200-word text submission.
James Cave, who took over as OTS Editor in July last year said: “We’re extremely proud to be able to present these important interviews with our local election candidates, and we believe they’ll be a valuable asset for voters in the coming elections.
“I’d like to thank all of the candidates who were good enough to give some of their valuable time to appear, and to those who made submissions to be included in our videos.
“I’m particularly grateful to Ian Maher and Greg Myers of the Sefton Labour Group, Tony Brough, Andrei Morgan-Short and Bob Teesdale of the Southport Conservative Association and John Pugh of the Southport Liberal Democrat Association for their invaluable assistance in setting these interviews up, they simply could not have happened without their cooperation and support.
“I’m also grateful to Ian Kyle of Southport Football Club for allowing us to film in the PURE Stadium, and club volunteers Dave, Hamish and Christine for their fantastic help on the day.”
Over the next few days, OTS will be releasing summarised videos for each ward, while the full interview of each candidate has been published this morning.
You can find the full list of election candidates below, with links to recorded interviews or statements if present.
AINSDALE
Michael Shaw – Conservative
Lauren Rankin – Green
Sean Flynn – Labour
Lynne Thompson – Liberal Democrat – (Video Interview)
BIRKDALE – Ward video
Lee Durkin – Conservative – (Video Interview)
Bernhard Frank – Green – (Online interview to be broadcast in ward roundup video)
Sonya Kelly – Labour – (Text Submission)
Vic Foulds – Liberal Democrat – (Video Interview)
CAMBRIDGE – Ward video
Sinclair D’Albuquerque – Conservative – (Video Interview)
Carla Fox – Green
Laura Lunn-Bates – Labour – (Video Interview)
Pat Keith – Liberal Democrat – (Video Interview)
DUKES – Ward video
Mike Prendergast – Conservative – (Text Submission)
Robert Doyle – Green
Tom Spring – Labour – (Video Interview)
David Newman – Liberal Democrat – (Text Submission)
Tony Dawson – Independent – (Video Interview)
HARINGTON – Ward video
Joe Riley – Conservative – (Video Interview)
Mike Walsh – Green
Carol Richards – Labour – (Video Interview)
Annie Gorski – Liberal Democrat
Joanne Allman – Independent
Aimee Brodie – Independent
KEW
Laura Nuttall – Conservative
Fred Weavers – Green
Jennifer Corcoran – Labour – (Video Interview)
Jo Barton – Liberal Democrat – (Video Interview)
MEOLS
Thomas De Freitas – Conservative – (Text Interview)
David Collins – Green
Steve Jowett – Labour – (Video Interview)
John Dodd – Liberal Democrat
NORWOOD
Pam Teesdale – Conservative
Dave McIntosh – Green
Carran Waterfield – Labour – (Video Interview)
Alistair West – Liberal Democrat – (Video Interview)
OTS News on Social Media