Megan Boucher has been selected by Labour to fight for the Fairfax East Town Council By-Election scheduled for Monday 18th December. The by election for the Labour controlled town council has been called due to the death of Labour councillor and former Mayor Alex Glassford. Fairfax East, basically Bower Manor, is a marginal seat and there will be 4 candidates fighting for selection including turncoat Tory Diogo Rodrigues who was originally elected as Labour and who is now the sitting Conservative county councillor, but who was dumped off town council at the last election, plus an independent former Tory Pele Barnes, who stood and lost for the Conservatives on 4 previous occasions. The Lib Dem candidate is Anthony Nickolls who will presumably be putting the case for why they’re doing such a great job at the near bankrupt county council.
Bridgwater Town Council is a Labour council and Alex Glassford was a Labour Councillor with a 100% attendance record. He was also Mayor of Bridgwater in 2016. Town Council Labour Leader Cllr Brian Smedley says “Somerset is changing. Already Sedgemoor District Council has been abolished and power is moving to the hands of the new County Unitary Council. But this is a disaster waiting to happen as not only is it far too remote to be effective locally it is already in financial chaos following years of Tory cuts and now LibDem mismanagement. The future is a strong Bridgwater Town Council and only Labour can make this happen.”
Town Council Deputy Leader Cllr Kathy Pearce (Labour) says “Bridgwater Town Council has a strong dedicated Labour team working together to take our town forward and we need Megan Boucher to be part of that team with her experience in the field of youth and community.”
County Leader Cllr Leigh Redman (Labour) says “Megan is a campaigner and cares about the people in her community. As we take back control for our community, we need people with a clear and united Labour vision and who care about the climate, our environment and our town.”
The election will be held on Monday 18th December and the polling station at Sydenham Community Centre will be open from 7am to 10pm for you to vote in person.
Introducing Megan Boucher
“Bridgwater is changing and growing very quickly, with new job opportunities and a massive expansion in housebuilding. I want to do my part in ensuring that local people have access to these opportunities but not at the expense of overdevelopment or without the proper community infrastructure put in place first!” says Megan Boucher the Labour candidate for Fairfax East
Megan Boucher was born and raised in Bridgwater. She went to Haygrove School and after studying youth and community work in London, returned to Bridgwater where she worked for a local church for ten years.
She is currently a student wellbeing officer at Bridgwater College, and in her spare time organises activities for socially isolated people. As a mother herself – to Alice, aged three – Megan understands the challenges faced by working parents. “That’s why I’m standing for Labour,” she says. “Ours is a party that puts fair pay, affordable housing and accessible healthcare for all at the centre of everything it does. A thriving economy is one that benefits everyone, not just a select few.” Fairfax East faces a number of challenges in the coming years, and if elected, Megan says her particular concerns will include:
* Reducing anti-social behaviour,
* Improving road safety
* Ensuring that any expansion in housing is sustainable.
“It must include the community facilities that are needed” Megan is also passionate about wanting to build a safer, better future for our children, supporting renewable energy, reducing carbon emissions, and protecting the natural world around us. “Bridgwater is a town which has always taken pride in its community spirit. My vision for Bridgwater and for Fairfax East is for a thriving community where no-one is left behind.”
Introducing Megan Boucher here.