By-Elections announced (Islington Liberal Democrats)

Islington Liberal Democrats <Islington_ld@cix.co.uk>

By-Elections announced

May 20, 2003 12:00 AM

Work commitments have forced two Liberal Democrat councillors Paul Fox (Hillrise ward) and Ian Powney (Barnsbury ward) to resign. By-elections will be held on Thursday 26th June to elect their successors. Councillor Steve Hitchins, Leader of the Council, says " We are very sorry to lose Ian and Paul. Both of them have worked hard as councillors but their work has moved away. They felt that unless they could give all their time to the position as councillor they had no choice but to resign. I support their decision." Ian Powney is now working in Hampshire and Paul Fox is in Wiltshire. They are both moving away from Islington. The Liberal Democrats have selected Emma Gowers to fight in Barnsbury Ward and Fiona Dunlop in Hillrise. Steve Hitchins added "These are two very able local candidates who have strong links with the people who live in their areas. I am sure that they will make fine councillors and excellent local representatives for the people in Barnsbury and Hillrise." "The Liberal Democrat controlled Council has a strong record of achievement upon which to contest these elections." Emma Gowers has lived in the Barnsbury area for almost ten years. She now lives in Huntingdon Street, and before that lived in Richmond Avenue and Hemingford Road, where she has been secretary of the Hemingford Road Association for 5 years. In 2000 she set up the Gower School, an independent nursery school in North Road, which now employs 38 local people and offers training opportunities for young people from City & Islington College and City University. In 2002 she was elected Chair of the Islington Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership, working to create and sustain more affordable childcare places across the borough. Emma says, "I believe passionately in giving every child the best possible start in life". Fiona Dunlop first moved to London from Grangemouth, in Scotland in 1980 and settled in this area in 1987. She has always been active in the community and now lives on the Elthorne Estate with her daughter, who attends Sunnyside Gardens in the school holidays. Fiona says "I am very interested in what the people I live alongside want. The Council has got better at clearing away rubbish, but I know that people across the whole Borough would like even more improvements. I want us to crack down on litter louts and make the area better to live in."