Slough Labour have today announced their candidates for the 2016 local elections, to be held on May 5th. Our team reflects the diversity of our great town, with a candidate for ever generation - our youngest being 23 and our oldest 79. Following on from our previous success of encouraging more women into politics over a third of our candidates in 2106 will be female.
BAYLIS & STOKE - SUNYIA SARFAZ
Sunyia Sarfaz lives here in Baylis & Stoke ward with her family, in Chester Road. Sunyia has lived in Slough her whole life. She studied at Slough and Eton School, and is currently finishing the final year of her Law degree at University.
Sunyia has been active in community groups in Baylis and Manor Park; working with the special needs charity SNAP, and with the Paving the Way Foundation. She has also helped, with other local residents, to win the improvements now planned for Baylis Park.
Sunyia is passionate about engaging young people in politics, and would add to your Baylis & Stoke campaign team, supporting your current Labour Councillors; Cllr Fiza Matloob and Cllr Mohammed Nazir.
BRITWELL AND NORTHBOROUGH - MARTIN CARTER
Cllr Martin Carter has been one of your Britwell Councillors since 2011; representing the new Britwell & Northborough ward since 2014. Martin also serves as a Britwell Parish Councillor. He has lived in Slough for 16 years.
Martin is married with a grown-up family and runs his own small business repairing computers. As your Councillor, Martin has campaigned for parking improvements, better upkeep of open spaces and on community safety issues. He has also helped involve residents in the regeneration of Britwell, and helped secure the new shops at Kennedy Park and the new skate Park and MUGA at Monksfield Way Recreation Ground.
Martin is Lead Member for Leisure Services on the Council, and has worked hard to get Slough Town Football Club the site for their new ground in Slough, which opens in Autumn this year.
CENTRAL - SHAFIQ CHAUDHRY
Shafiq Chaudhry lives in Goodman Park with his family and has been one of your Central Ward Councillors since 2006. Shafiq has always been involved with the local community having previously been a governor at Baylis Court School, and a President of the Pakistani Welfare Association. Shafiq was Mayor of Slough in 2014-5.
As a Central ward Councillor, Shafiq has helped to upgrade playgrounds, to deliver resurfaced roads and pavements at Goodman Park and St John’s Road, as well as getting street-lighting improvements for the area.
If re-elected, Shafiq is keen to improve street-cleaning and pedestrian facilities around the town centre, and to ensure there are adequate facilities to support all the new housing being built around the High Street and railway station area.
CHALVEY - ATIQ SANDHU
Atiq Sandhu lives in Griffin Close with his family, and has lived in Chalvey for the past 25 years. Atiq owns and manages a popular and well-known local business in the ward, which he has run for the last 30 years. As a result, he spends every working day in Chalvey, talking with local people and hearing a first-hand what exactly the local concerns are and how they should be tackled.
As a Chalvey resident himself, Atiq is passionate about the ward and our local community here. He is active in local community life and in regular touch with local groups and voluntary organisations working in the ward. He is committed to improving local facilities; to raising the standard and upkeep of the local environment; and to ensuring Chalvey residents have a good quality of life.
CIPPENHAM GREEN - NORA HOLLEDGE
Nora Holledge has lived in Cippenham since 1969 and has been one of Cippenham Green’s local Councillors since 2014. Nora lives in Moreton Way with her family.
Nora worked in Slough’s library service for over 25 years as a Community Libraries Manager, until her retirement in 2011. She is a Governor of Cippenham Nursery School, an independent nursery for Cippenham children.
Nora has worked to get improvements to Deerwood Park and Mercian Way park, helped get additional parking areas installed to several local roads, and got action to remove litter and fly-tipping. If re-elected, Nora will continue to fight for improvements to Cippenham village.
CIPPENHAM MEADOWS - SATPAL PARMAR
Satpal Parmar has lived in Slough for over 50 years, and worked for Royal Mail for 25 years, until his retirement a few years ago. Satpal has been a Cippenham Meadows Councillor since 2004, and he remains a passionate champion for the area.
Satpal has campaigned to get better local facilities to support the housing built in south west Slough, and has been influential in getting the new changing rooms and 5 sports pitches now open on the new estate. As Lead Member for the environment on the Council, Satpal has been working hard to tackle fly-tipping and improve Slough’s parks and open spaces.
ELLIMAN - NAVEEDA QASEEM
Naveeda has lived in Slough for 8 years with her family. Naveeda has a doctorate in Economics, and works as a University Lecturer at the University of Westminster in London.
When Naveeda moved to Slough in 2008, the local community was very supportive; which made Naveeda want to give something back to keep our community strong. She has helped as a volunteer at local primary schools, and with the local charity Slough Refugee support. Naveeda now hopes to help and support other residents by representing their concerns as a local Councillor.
Elliman ward has felt the pressures of Slough’s growing population; with new homes and expanding schools, traffic and parking problems. As your local campaigner, Naveeda will stand up for you and work hard to get residents’ concerns addressed.
FARNHAM - MOHAMMED RASIB
Mohammed Rasib has lived in Slough since the mid-1960s. Mohammed worked on the trading estate until his retirement a few years ago, and he has been an elected Slough Councillor since 2006; representing Farnham ward since 2014 and serving as Mayor of Slough this year.
Mohammed has campaigned on community safety issues, and is passionate about improving the local neighbourhood environment. As a tenant, he is also interested in improving housing in Slough, with more done to supply affordable homes and action to improve conditions/ regulation in the private-rented sector. Mohammed will work for these and other changes if re-elected as a Farnham ward Councillor.
FOXBOROUGH - MADHU BEDI
Madhuri Bedi has lived in Slough for over 20 years with her husband and 10 year old son. Madhu and her family lives just over the M4 junction, in Colnbrook. Madhuri worked for Slough Borough Council for 8 years, where she gained in-depth knowledge of community issues and the valued experience of resolving these to a positive outcome.
Madhuri now works for a local housing organisation as a part time Community Development Officer in which she is currently focusing on social isolation faced by the elderly. Madhuri has organised various events which celebrate diversity and promote community cohesion with the most recent event based on women's empowerment.
Madhuri is the Chairperson for a charitable Trust called ‘The Vishaal Foundation’ which has been formed to help relieve the emotional distress of families who have experienced the loss of a child. Madhuri is committed to working for Foxborough ward and its residents. If elected, she will ensure residents’ concerns are both heard and acted upon.
HAYMILL AND LYNCHILL - HARJINDAR GHAIR
Harjinder Gahir has lived in Slough for 28 years, and owns his own taxi business locally. He lives in North Slough with his wife of 34 years and their three sons.
Harjinder has been a member of the Education Authority's Independent School Appeals Panel for 3 years, and has served as a Wexham Court Parish Councillor for the past 5 years - giving him the experience, knowledge and skills to represent you effectively. Harjinder also serves on the management committee for Ramgariha Sikh Temple in Slough and is active in various voluntary and community organisations locally.
Harjinder is committed to tackling local people's concerns all across Haymill & Lynch Hill ward - from the Priory Estate to Lynch Hill valley and Blumfield Crescent.
LANGLEY KEDERMISTER- MIKE HOLLEDGE
Mike Holledge was born in Slough and has lived in the town all his life. He is married with a grown-up family, and is now also a proud grandfather.
Mike worked for an engineering company on Slough Trading Estate until his recent retirement, which has given him more time to help our local community.
Mike has been a councillor in Langley Kedermister since 2014 and having previously served on Slough Borough Council, he knows how to get results for residents. He is particularly keen to get action to tackle anti-social behaviour, and to work with the police to make our part of Langley safer, if re-elected.
LANGLEY ST MARY'S - TED PLENTY
Cllr Ted Plenty has lived in Langley for nearly 30 years. He has been a Councillor in Langley for the past five years, representing much of Langley St Mary’s when it was in the Foxborough ward until local boundary changes in 2014.
Ted was actively involved in setting up a credit union for Slough, to help local people save and borrow more securely.
Ted has championed residents’ concerns across Langley – getting fly-tipping removed, getting local roads and pavements resurfaced, helping secure improvements for Harvey Park and getting local play provision for children improved and upgraded. Ted’s twin sons both attended local schools. Now retired, Ted enjoys following Slough Town FC with his family.
UPTON - BALVINDAR BAINS
Balvinder represented Upton as one of its Borough Councillors from 2006 until 2014, when he took a break from the Council. He has lived in the area with his wife and family for over 25 years. Balvinder served as Mayor of Slough in 2013/14.
As an Upton Councillor, Balvinder helped deliver improvements at Upton Court Park, including new play areas; junction improvements on Upton Court Road, as well has helping secure the refurbishment of Lascelles Pavilion and a Multi-Use Games Arena at Lascelles Park.
Balvinder is well-known in the local community, is active in a host of voluntary organisations. His children, now grown up, all attended Castleview school. Balvinder has a positive working relationship with the local cricket club and has also been a trustee of the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Sikh Temple on Sheehy Way.
WEXHAM LEA - SHABNUM SADIQ
Shabnum Sadiq was born and bred in Slough and works as a project manager in a local employability programme. Shabnum has also worked as a lifelong learning tutor for adults with additional support needs.
Shabnum runs a youth club, and has worked closely with Crimestoppers, supporting them in their crime prevention work with young people. She is also a member of the Wexham and Frimley Park Hospital trust, and has been a parent governor at Baylis Court School.
Shabnum has been involved in a number of volunteering projects all across Slough over the years. She is an effective advocate and works hard to stand up for residents. Shabnum is particularly keen to tackle anti-social behaviour and improve the quality of the environment around the Wexham Court and Upton Lea estates.