Tory hopes to win city council seat in Bushbury
A council candidate is aiming to turn a city seat blue for the first time in almost a decade.
Paul Appleby will contest Bushbury North on Wolverhampton Council for the Conservatives, a seat which has been held for the last eight years by Labour councillor Ian Angus, who is stepping down.
The ward has been dominated by Labour in recent years, but it you only have to go back to 2008 to find a time when the Tories held sway with a trio of councillors, including former council leader Neville Patten.
Bushbury born-and-bred Mr Appleby, aged 31, says he can bring the "fresh vision" needed to "shake the city out of its slumber".
"I have very high hopes for Bushbury North and for Wolverhampton as a whole," he said. "I believe that with effective leadership and vision, Wolverhampton can become a beacon of innovation, prosperity and opportunity for all."
Mr Appleby works in facility management, volunteers as a school governor and is a former parish councillor in Staffordshire.
If elected he has pledged to work with residents on a number of issues, including problems caused by roadworks on Stafford Road, improvements to Northwood Park, and reduced waste collection services.
"It is vital we tackle daily concerns such as skills, employment, regeneration and economic reforms," he added.
The Conservatives currently have eight of the city's 60 seats, with Labour holding 50.
Mr Appleby is up against Labour candidate Wayne O'Brien, a community activist who lost out in Merry Hill in last year's council elections.
He has urged people to vote Labour in the local elections "to show your support for high quality local public services".
Other candidates are Ann Jenkins (Lib Dem), John Rickhuss (Ukip) and Michelle Webster (Green).
