Meet Gareth Owen-Williams, LibDem District Council Candidate for Crowborough Jarvis Brook

Gareth OWEN-WILLIAMS - LibDem Wealden District Council candidate for Crowborough Jarvis Brook & Crowborough Town Council candidate

For the past few weeks, longtime local businessman and community activist Gareth Owen-Williams has been on a mission - to urge everyone to register, and then vote, in the upcoming District and Town Council elections.

"It's our last opportunity for four years to make a difference in how we're run," he says. Gareth is running as both a Crowborough Town Councillor and as the District Councillor for Crowborough Jarvis Brook ward. "I'm standing in both roles as a Liberal Democrat because I love this area and want to make it a better place to live and work," he explains. "I've lived here nearly thirty years and brought up a family and now run my own business.

"For the past eight years, I've collated local events for the Courier and can see that every week good people are organising events for the community." Gareth has also run a stall at the Hospital Fete for over 20 years, which he says has brought him into contact with the best of the town. "However," he says, "as a Liberal Democrat, I believe that we deserve better.

"Jarvis Brook and our town centre need support on the High Street. Our youngsters deserve more activities. Our older residents could do with places to meet at low cost. Our roads are congested and damaged by unregulated development with no regard to infrastructure."

A year ago, Gareth was saddened and disappointed after attending an important planning meeting at Hailsham. "Despite a coach load from Crowborough, none of our representatives voted," he says, "and we lost our Mead House car park by one vote. I decided at that point I needed to do something."

He continues: "When 90% of our district councillors are controlled by one group then democracy is the loser. It's time to make a change. Vote for me and I'll do my best to be that change."

NOTE: We are in the process of uploading information on all of our Wealden LibDem District and Town Council candidates to our website, so please check back regularly for updates!