Meet the candidates standing in the Cleadon and East Boldon ward in the 2023 South Tyneside Council elections

Voters are due to head to polling stations on Thursday, May 4, to either re-elect or replace holders of around a third of seats on South Tyneside Council.

This year, one seat in all 18 of the borough’s wards will be up for grabs, with around 70 candidates in the running.

In the Cleadon and East Boldon ward this year, four candidates have been listed.

This includes former ward councillor Jeff Milburn who was disqualified from his council position in July, 2021, after receiving a suspended jail term for carrying a knife with him to South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court in early-2020.

In a recent statement, a South Tyneside Council spokesperson confirmed Mr Milburn’s 2023 nomination paper “passed all of the requirements as stated by law”.

The spokesperson said that “the law does not prevent someone who is currently disqualified from being a councillor from standing for election”.

The local authority also highlighted that “where an elected member is disqualified, a vacancy is declared in the ward and a by-election is held at a later date.”

Here’s what candidates in the Cleadon and East Boldon ward have to say.

*Candidates are listed in the order they appeared on South Tyneside Council’s list of candidates at the close of nominations.*

Shirley Ford (Green Party)

My long-standing commitment to the protection of our Green Belt and precious green spaces shows I will be a determined, independent voice in the council chamber for our villages, if residents put their faith in me at this election.

I have been knocking on doors to hear residents’ views all year round and then working to tackle the issues raised, contacting council officers and other organisations to get action taken.

I have worked closely for many years with David Herbert, elected last year as your councillor, and we will continue to speak up for our villages, for what really matters to residents.

Georgia Jamieson (Labour Party)

As a resident of Cleadon and East Boldon ward, I believe that local people have an important choice to make in the council elections.

I have never stood for election before. I can also say with pride that Cleadon and East Boldon is my home.

I couldn’t stand for anywhere else because I believe in representing the area in which I live.

I am a governor at a local nursery, my children attend the local schools, we spend most of our family time outdoors in the local parks and looking for wildlife along the cycle tracks or nature walks in the villages.

I have enjoyed chatting to residents across the ward over the last seven months and hearing your ideas for how we can improve our area.

If elected, I will focus on protecting our environment, addressing anti-social behaviour, road safety, and improving the state of pavements and roads.

Jeff Milburn (No description)

My name is Jeff Milburn and I would consider it an honour to be elected as the ward member for Cleadon and East Boldon representing you and your concerns.

I have already been a local councillor with a proven track record of listening to residents and getting things done.

I have always lived in this area and share your worries about our diminishing Green Belt which surrounds our villages, our local services are already over stretched and our nature reserves are too precious to loose.

I too, am concerned about the high council tax we pay and believe we should get value money.

If elected, I will always be on hand to listen to your concerns, whether it is a pothole, broken paving stone or something more serious.

I will endeavour to deal with issues with sensitivity and swiftly.

Vote Jeff Milburn on polling day.

Stan Wildhirt (Conservative Party)

More concentration on the creation of quality jobs rather thanconcentrating on excessive house building.

We should attract more investment into the area by investing a little in the first place either with Government grants or private investment or a combination of both.

Just look at Roker. Investment in infrastructure resulted in businesses queuing up to open.

Making South Tyneside a cleaner and a more attractive place to live such as better quality pot hole repairs, cleaner streets, better park facilities, tackling crime and anti social behaviour all help toward prosperity.

Stop ticking boxes and saying job done, for instance “TheMotion for the Ocean” and then having a large house building programto add to the pollution.

Let’s use our parks to promote physical and mental health by providing facilities that attract people into them.

Giant chess clubs and outdoor exercise machines to suit all ages etc.