Councillors (Warrington Liberal Democrats)

The Liberal Democrat Group on Warrington Borough Council

Appleton

baxcell Brian Axcell

24 Kingsley Drive, Appleton

01925 267540

CllrBrian.Axcell@warrington.gov.uk

An Oxford graduate, Brian is a chartered engineer and a retired University lecturer. He is married to Irina and has lived in Appleton for 37 years. He has been a borough councillor for the area for 22 years and a parish councillor for a year longer. He was Mayor of Warrington from 2009 to 2010.

Brian is very interested in music and takes a great interest in transport issues. Brian says: It was a great honour to be Mayor but it is an even greater pleasure to help residents get solutions to long-standing problems. I really hope we can find a solution to the problems caused for us by our swing bridges.

SharonH Sharon Harris

Hereford House, Porch House Farm, Runcorn Road, Higher Walton

01925 470498

CllrSharon.Harris@warrington.gov.uk

Sharon has lived in Warrington since 1993 and is married to Robert. They have 3 grownup children and 3 grandchildren . She worked in Warrington as a primary school teacher for 14 years and has only just recently retired from the profession.

She has been a Parish Councillor in Appleton for 8 years and prior to that was a Walton Parish Councillor for 2 years. She is the Appleton Parish Council representative on the Board of Directors for the Broomfields Youth Project and volunteers to help out regularly on Friday evenings serving numerous cups of hot chocolate to some delightful young people. She is also a Friend of Walton Estate.

Since retiring, Sharon has begun a small dog walking business as she has two dogs of her own. She enjoys Nordic Walking and keeping fit. She is also actively involved in her local church.

Judith Wheeler

6 Southway Avenue, Appleton

07890 560890

CllrJudith.Wheeler@warrington.gov.uk

Judith was born and grew up in Appleton, attending local schools. After university, she trained as a librarian and worked for the British Council for many years. Judith was a Councillor for Whittle Hall from 2004-2011 and enjoyed it so much she stood for Appleton in 2014, successfully taking over from fellow LibDem Judith Walker.

In 2009, Judith qualified as a mental health nurse and now works with dementia sufferers. In her spare time, Judith enjoys cycling, running, gardening, baking and learning the trumpet. Her pet hates as a councillor are graffiti, flyposting, bad parking and lack of consideration for cyclists!

Grappenhall

Ryan Bate

28 Marlfield Road, Grappenhall

01925 267618

rbate@warrington.gov.uk

Born in Warrington, Ryan has lived in Grappenhall most of his life, attending Bradshaw Community Primary and Lymm High School. After studying at Lancaster University and spending two years working in the oil industry, Ryan returned to Warrington in 2010 to train as a teacher. He has taught geography in local secondary schools since then.

Having been motivated to join the Lib Dems at the age of sixteen by the work of local campaigners such as Ted Lafferty and Barbara Mawer, Ryan was elected to Grappenhall & Thelwall Parish Council in 2012. Since then he has been involved in the Parish Council's efforts to conserve Church Lane providing a heritage briefing to planners from Warrington BC. He has also worked with the GYCA to ensure the continued success of Grappenhall Community Centre. Ryan has also led the organising for the successful Open Grappenhall & Thelwall weekend, which was first held in May 2015, bringing together a range of local organisations to put on activities for the villages.

Mike Biggin

46 Georges Crescent, Grappenhall

01925 213612

CllrMike.Biggin@warrington.gov.uk

Mike has lived in the area since 1963 and attended Lymm Grammar School before embarking on a career in teaching. He spent several years in Essex and Kent where he worked as a presenter in BBC Local Radio. He returned to Warrington to resume teaching and married Trisha in 1987. Mike worked in Warrington schools in primary, secondary and special sectors before retiring in 2002 to work freelance in TV and film.

He has been a Parish Councillor since 2002 and was elected to the Borough in 2006. He has served as Chair of the Environment Scrutiny Committee and then became Executive Board Member for Public Protection.

In 2011/12 Mike was Mayor of Warrington. He is a member of Mersey Forest Trust and The Bridgewater Canal Trust. He serves on the Cheshire Fire Authority and sits on the national Local Government Fire Commission.

Lymm North & Thelwall

Bob Barr OBE

Pear Trees, 2A Dane Bank Road, Lymm

01925 750910

bbarr@warrington.gov.uk

Bob is Leader of the Liberal Democrat group and spokesman on Planning, Regeneration and Housing. He is a retired University Lecturer, Visiting Professor at the University of Liverpool and still chairs the company spun out of his university laboratory. He is an urban and social geographer, which has led to his interest in the planning and regeneration job he now holds, he is also an IT specialist and was awarded his OBE in 2008 "for services to geography".

Bob is particularly interested in housing and is particularly proud of the successful stock transfer which has passed control of all the Council's rented properties to the newly established Golden Gates Housing Trust.

Bob is married to Caroline and they have two daughters. Bob is a keen social networker, he has a blog at www.cllrbobbarr.net and appears on Twitter as @CllrBobBarr.

wjohnson Wendy Johnson

37 Clearwater Quays, Latchford

01925 637398

CllrWendy.Johnson@warrington.gov.uk

Wendy grew up in Thelwall and went to school in Thelwall and Lymm. In the past she worked as a care home manager in Lymm. She has served on Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council for many years and has represented Grappenhall and Thelwall on Warrington Borough Council since 1999. She joined the Liberal Democrats because the Lib Dem councillors at that time, Barbara Mawer and Ted Lafferty had similar views to Wendy about serving the community. For four years when the Liberal Democrats led Warrington Council, Wendy was chairman of the Health Scrutiny Committee. She is strongly in favour of bringing health and social care together to improve lives for people.

Ian Marks MBE

80A Whitbarrow Road, Lymm

01925 753051

CllrIan.Marks@warrington.gov.uk

Ian and his wife Pam have 2 grown-up children and 4 grandchildren. He was educated at Cambridge University and worked as a senior manager in the glass industry. Ian was first elected to Warrington Council in 1983 and has served on Lymm Parish Council since 1979, being chairman twice. He was leader of Warrington Council from 2006 to 2011 and during this period was deputy leader of the North West Leaders' Board and a member of the Cheshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

For many years he was a board member of Warrington Housing Association and he is currently a governor at Statham Primary School. He is chairman of Lymm Festival, a member of Lymm 41 Club and of the Twin Town Society. Ian's interests include playing tennis, gardening, travel and Warrington Wolves.

Lymm South

Anna Fradgley

34 Cyril Bell Close, Lymm

01925 753631

CllrAnna.Fradgley@warrington.gov.uk

Anna is married to Matt and they have two children at Lymm High School. They have lived in Lymm for 15 years. She has a degree in Business and Marketing with Italian and worked as a marketing manager for several large retail stores.
A Lymm Parish Councillor since 2016, she is Chairman this year. She was elected to the Borough Council at a by-election in April 2018.
She has been a Parent Governor at Ravenbank School and served on the Lymm Festival Committee. Anna spent time as a Slimming World Consultant, but now runs her own business and writes cookery books under the name 'Anna Vero'. She enjoys Aquafit and socialising in Lymm restaurants and wine bars!

Stockton Heath

Peter Walker

75 Grappenhall Road, Stockton Heath

01925 265237

pwalker1@warrington.gov.uk

Peter has lived in Stockton Heath since 1968 and is married to Judith. They have four children and six grandchildren. He worked as an executive for a chemical and energy company. He was a Cheshire County Councillor from 1989 to 1998 and was the first Lib Dem to chair that Council.

He was elected to Warrington Council when it became a Unitary Authority and was in charge of Finance and Resources when the Lib Dems took over the leadership of the Council in 2006. He also sits on both Appleton and Stockton Heath Parish Councils.

Peter was Deputy Chair of the Police Authority for six years and was made a Deputy Lieutenant of Cheshire in 2006. He sits on the South Warrington Neighbourhood Board and chairs the board of governors at a local secondary school. He is a trustee of three national and local charities. When time allows, his interests include photography, cars, driving and fixing things!

Graham Welborn

20 Cross Lane, Grappenhall

07970 458474

CllrGraham.Welborn@warrington.gov.uk

Graham is an experienced Lib Dem councillor having represented the people of Warrington for many years. During that time he was on the Council's Executive Board and was also Mayor of Warrington. Graham and his wife Elaine have 2 children and 4 grandchildren. He has been a member Grappenhall and Thelwall Parish Council.

Graham worked as a Police Officer and then for 30 years teaching children with special needs. He is now Chairman of Warrington YMCA and has done other charity work.