AN INDEPENDENT candidate in the upcoming council elections says people feel let down by local politicians – including over Coventry City Football Club – and has encouraged Longford residents to vote for ‘change’.
Longford resident of eight years Jim Bench says the traditional partisan politics is failing people and hopes voters will agree as they go to the polls on Thursday (May 2).
The Longford ward has council leader George Duggins as one of its three councillors although he will not stand this year.
Mr Bench, in his detailed manifesto, calls for a fight to get Coventry City Football Club the ‘appropriate recognition it deserves’ from the council.
He says: “If I’m honest, I’m not much of a football supporter myself and really prefer sport that includes either an engine and wheels or goalposts in the shape of an H.
“But I’m very proud to live in a city with a football club such as CCFC, even more so that it’s located in the Longford ward – though for how much longer is anyone’s guess.
“Therefore if elected my promise is to fight to get CCFC the appropriate recognition it duly deserves from our council, as our city’s football club.”
He also pledges to clamp down on speeding drivers, regenerate roads and pavements and push for green improvements in the city.
With voter turnout in the Longford ward plummeting from about 28 per cent in 2009 to about 16 per cent in 2018, Mr Bench says he wants to target the ‘disenfranchised’ who are tired of party politics.
He said in his manifesto: “I can and will represent the Longford ward with 100 per cent of my commitment.
“My time will not be divided by other ‘political commitments’ that will detract from me doing the job as your ward councillor.
“I feel I am now in the political wilderness with nobody to vote for that represents my views.
“Recently I have even taken the drastic option of defacing my ballot paper in disgust at the lack of options.
“I have chosen to stand to give us all a chance to change things and give us back our voice in the area.”
The candidates for Longford are:
Jim Bench (Independent)
Linda Bigham (Labour)
Marcus Fogden (UKIP)
Cristian Honeychurch (Green)
Laura Ridley (Conservative)
