Meet your Reading 2021 election candidates (north)

We’ve split the 16 wards up into fours. Here are your candidates for the wards in north Reading (Caversham, Mapledurham, Peppard and Thames).

Caversham

READ MORE: Every Reading Borough Council candidate

Richard Davies (Labour)

Richard Davies Labour Caversham

“Councillor Richard Davies is the Labour candidate for Caversham ward, where he is currently councillor.  Cllr Davies is chair of the Housing, Neighbourhoods and Leisure committee and a dedicated campaigner for the residents of Caversham.  If re-elected he pledges to promote healthier and more sustainable travel in Caversham and to support local businesses to recover from the effects of the pandemic.”

Ian Binge (Conservative)

Ian Binge Conservative Caversham

“My wife and I have lived and worked in Reading since 2006. My young son attends Highdown School and Sixth Form Centre and enjoys playing for Caversham Trent’s Football Club. I am a keen football fan and I teach Shotokan Karate every week. I am good at managing complex change programmes, a skill developed over 40 years. A recent £300m development programme required me to manage and control the finances of 20 IT projects simultaneously. A councillor role would give me the opportunity to contribute towards Reading’s improvement.”

Sally Newman (Green)

Sally Newman Green Caversham

“Sally has lived in Reading for 30 years, raising her two daughters here. She is a Speech and Language therapist and teacher of children with special educational needs. She has volunteered at Citizens Advice Bureau. She also volunteers at Reading Smart Works helping women become employed. A keen cyclist, walker and gardener, Sally would work hard for better air quality and protection of green spaces. Sally fully supports following the government’s public health advice to tackle the pandemic. She also wants to see a green recovery.”

Christopher Ward (Liberal Democrats)

Chris Ward Lib Dems Caversham

“Chris is a campaigner who lives in Reading and works across the Thames Valley.  He is passionate about increasing participation in democracy and local government.  If elected in Caversham, his priorities will be to tackle Reading’s traffic and air pollution issues, and to ensure that Reading’s council services remain resilient into the future.”

Social Democratic: Damian Skelton (Social Democratic)

Damian Skelton

"I'm a Caversham resident currently working as an engineering manager in the rail industry. I'm a liberally minded person with a 'live and let live' attitude and I'm a staunch supporter of free speech. I'm committed to the Social Democratic Party's principles on family, community and nation. In my spare time I love walking in the country and in my holiday time I enjoy contributing to my wife's family farm in Poland. I'm passionate about the outdoors, farming and agriculture."

Independent: Sara Fulbrook

Sara Fulbrook

“I have lived in Caversham for 30 years and grew up locally. I have been a community campaigner and have lobbied for the protection of green spaces, sustainable development, safer crossings and preservation of local amenities. My priorities are reinstating cutback bus services, creating new community hubs and events, restoring our green spaces. I promise to be a honest and transparent representative, who actively responds to local residents’ concerns.”

Mapledurham

Boubacar Dembele (Labour)

Boubacar Dembele Labour Mapledurham

“Boubacar Dembele is the Labour candidate for Mapledurham ward.  He is a local teacher, the Reading Labour BAME officer and is part of the team that runs the popular Bastille Day Festival.  If elected he pledges to support NHS and keyworkers and to be the voice of residents when it comes to projects such as Mapledurham Playing Fields, and to ensure that the provision caters to residents’ wants and needs now and in the future.”

Isobel Ballsdon (Conservative)

Isobel Ballsdon Conservative Mapledurham

“I’ve lived in Mapledurham Ward for nearly 30 years and brought up my family here. It has meant so much to me to be able to serve the community as Ward Councillor for the last 15 years. When I stood for re-election in 2016 I pledged to sort out the two big issues for our community: the dilapidated Pavilion and a permanent home within the Ward for The Heights School. I am delighted therefore that I’m delivering on both these promises. It is wonderful to receive so much positive feedback and to see so many of you out enjoying the revitalised Mapledurham Playing Fields.”

Brent Smith (Green)

"Brent Smith is the Green Party Mapledurham candidate. He is a keen cyclist and wants to see better cycling facilities."

Chris Burden (Liberal Democrats)

Mapledurham Chris Burden Lib Dems

“Chris Burden has lived in the Thames Valley all his life, and in Caversham for the last 20: he is a local.  Originally from a science/technology background, he now works in project management.  Chris believes in the importance of openness, tolerance, and individual liberty. Fairness and open communication would be at the heart of all he would do, if elected. But, he would focus particularly on social justice, confronted by deep unfairness, inequalities and divisions in society.   As an elected member/councillor on Reading Borough Council he would hold the (likely) Labour administration to account.”

Peppard (two councillors to be elected)

READ MORE: The wards in Reading that could be most closely fought

Doug Creswell and Sarah McNamara (Green)

Doug Cresswell

"Doug Cresswell is an oceanographer who has been based in Reading for the last 16 years. He has studied the climate system over timescales from centuries to seconds, for projects ranging from climate prediction to wind farm design. He is interested in promoting uptake of public transport, walking and cycling, having joined the Green Party on account of believing that policy based on environmental protection and progressive social values forms the best basis for people to organise themselves."

"Sarah McNamara is one of the Green Party Peppard candidates. She wants more jobs and opportunities for young people."

Pieter De Boiserie and Hilary Smart (Liberal Democrats)

Pieter De Boiserie Peppard Lib Dems

“Pieter and family live in Emmer Green where his children attend the local nursery and primary school. He is a keen runner and enjoys walking around the local copse with his kids and dog. Pieter also enjoys cycling, and is an advocate for safer roads for all users.  He wants to protect green spaces in the local area.”

Hilary Smart Peppard Lib Dems

“Hilary is a mum and an enthusiastic user of, and advocate for, bus, library and children’s services.  She is a finance analyst and works on infrastructure projects.  She lives in Caversham and her children attend nursery in Peppard.  She cycles whenever she can, including on the nursery run; if elected, she will be a passionate advocate for Peppard ward.”

James Denny and Benjamin Perry (Labour)

James Denny Peppard Labour

“James Denny is a Labour candidate for Peppard ward.  As well as being the national secretary for Neurodivergent Labour he can also be found campaigning on issues include workplace health and safety and maintaining public access to Caversham Park.  If elected he pledges to champion the interests of residents with a strong and energetic voice, collaborate with local groups to make the best of local green spaces and facilities, and work to reduce the effects of time poverty and loneliness.”

Benjamin Perry Peppard Labour

“Benjamin Perry is a Labour candidate in Peppard ward who joined the team when the by-election was triggered.  He is an experienced campaigner and if elected is looking forward to working alongside Labour colleagues to ensure Peppard ward gets the services it needs.”

Clarence Mitchell and Jane Stanford-Beale (Conservative)

Clarence Mitchell Conservative Peppard

Clarence: “As a resident of Lower Caversham, I am committed to making Peppard Ward an even better place to live and to the protection of Reading’s green spaces. Along with my running mate Jane Stanford-Beale, who has planted trees in Clayfield Copse and Bugs Bottom and scrutinised planning applications, I am against unsustainable development and will always promote and prioritise the development of brown field sites where feasible. To keep our community safe, I will work with the Safer Neighbourhood Forum and Thames Valley Police to tackle speeding, anti-social behaviour and illegal traveller incursions.”

Jane Stanford Beale Conservative Peppard

Jane: “I’ve lived in Caversham for more than 25 years. My children grew up here and went to school locally, so I know the importance of growing up in a good environment. One where children can enjoy walks in the park and exploring the woods in safety. I helped set up Caversham and Emmer Green Children’s Centre, both of which have been sadly closed by the Labour-run council. The residents deserve better. I’m passionate about resolving local issues, as I know from the residents who contact me the problems that anti-social behaviour, potholes, crumbling road surfaces and lack of amenities cause.”

Vincent Ruane (Reform UK)

We have not yet received a response from Reform UK, which was previously the Brexit Party, about their candidate Vincent Ruane.

Thames

Paul Carnell (Conservative)

Paul Carnell Conservative Thames

“I moved to Reading over 10 years ago. Reading is a great place to live but it could be so much better. We all see the state of the roads, the congestion and the increasing level of development. Tragically this year we have also seen a rise in knife crime.

“Since being elected in a by-election in 2019, I have worked tirelessly for you and with you, meeting with residents to hear their concerns over many subjects. During the pandemic I have been keeping in touch online and our physical street surgeries will return as soon as the lockdown lifts.”

Caroline McArthur (Labour)

Caroline Mcarthur Labour Thames

“Caroline Mcarthur is the Labour candidate in Thames ward and is passionate about local communities and supporting green spaces, wildlife and the environment.  She can be found working with local community groups. If elected she pledges to focus on tackling loneliness by working with the community and existing voluntary sector organisations and charities, and promoting community spirit with an online forum to support community gardens and create greater social connections.”

Danny McNamara (Green)

Danny McNamara

“Danny has fought elections in Thames Ward several times, starting in 2008, and has lived in the ward since 1996. He moved to Reading in 1980, after finishing his degree at Oxford University. He is married with three children and has extensive experience as an IT project manager. He is also a regular on the local folk music scene.”

Jo Ramsay (Liberal Democrats)

Jo Ramsey Thames Lib Dems

“Jo has lived in Caversham for 20 years and has a PhD in electronic engineering; she has re-trained as an advocate working with older people and adults with learning disabilities.  She is keen that local services and amenities are made accessible to all, and that local voices are heard when decisions are being made about our communities.”