Accrington Web - Introducing myself as requested.

I was born and brought up in Wakefield and have family across Yorkshire and Lancashire. I used to wash dishes in my school holidays at my cousin’s little B&B hotel in Blackpool or take photographs for my Dad’s estate agent business in Wakefield – though not at the same time!

I qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in my twenties and have worked in housing and regeneration ever since. I started out with British Rail, then worked for a Development Corporation before running my own business with colleagues from 1998. I worked across England building , amongst other things, offices and retail property in Preston and Kirby, and delivering a major town centre renewal project in Coventry.

I have been active in Conservative politics for more than ten years and was the Conservative candidate in Hackney South & Shoreditch in 2005. Since then I have worked on Lord Heseltine’s review of regeneration policy and I support the return of regeneration funding and control over Council housing to local councils.

I am now one of the six potential Conservative candidates for the seat of Hyndburn at the next election - which includes Greenfield and Worsley wards from Rossendale as well as the whole of Hyndburn Borough. The final choice will be made by Conservative members on Saturday 13 March at Oswaldtwistle Conservative Club - the meeting starts at 1.00pm.

My main priority for Hyndburn is to use my regeneration experience to help Hyndburn council deliver its ambitious plans for Accrington town centre the rest of the Borough, to attract new businesses to the area to strengthen the local economy and create more jobs for local people. I'd also like to see the area have its own sixth form and see the new swimming pool at Haslingden built, but recognise that money is tight now we're all paying for Gordon Brown's borrowing binge over the last ten years.

I sold my stake in the business in 2008 and am currently self-employed, though I haven’t taken on any clients this year so I am free to work full time on getting to know the area better before the election. If I am elected, I will not take on any further private work and concentrate on representing Hyndburn in Parliament and sticking up for local people.

I’m married and have two teenage children. I’m just too old now to be in Round Table, but used to be. To relax, I just like to spend time with my family, or play golf with my kids. If possible I go skiing – I once even qualified as a dry ski slope instructor – and if nothing comes of this politics lark, then I might even go one time and not come back!

Happy to chat to anybody on 07 548 949 849.