Manish Puri

I am a resident and active member of the Boldmere community. I have worked with Councillor Rob Pocock and Ken Rushton from the earliest days towards bringing about a Sutton Coldfield Town Council from collecting signatures for the petition to campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote. I believe a broadly representative, collegiate, consultative Town Council is what Sutton Coldfield needs to maximise our civic potential.

My children go to a local school where I have served as School Governor; I am active in the Boldmere and Vesey North Neighbourhood Forums and Boldmere Futures Partnership and am one of the founder members of the Friends of King George V Playing Fields. I support the local campaign to fight any downgrading of our Good Hope Hospital.

I have been a active campaigner in Vesey for a number of years and will continue to do so regardless of the result on the 5th May. I believe public office is a means, but not the only one, to serve one’s local community so win or lose I will still be available to help, out and about in Vesey – the butchers, the barbers, the chippy, the school gate or running off a Balti in the streets around my home as well as at the regular street surgeries with Rob on Boldmere Road.

All year round not just election time.

Once again it appears that I am the only candidate standing in Sutton Vesey who actually lives in the ward. I have two children who go to school in Boldmere. My parents, who also live in Vesey, are of an age where they need GP and hospital services more and more frequently. I am always in the high street, many traders and businesses know me as a customer as well as a local campaigner. I have always supported and promoted their brilliant community activities. Issues, therefore, like the quality of local education and health provision, the success of local shopping centres and overall quality of life in our neighbourhood are not political abstracts or campaign points but impinge directly on me, my family, my neighbours and friends. These are the people I seek to represent.

On the question of a devolved Sutton Coldfield Town Council: I have worked with Rob Pocock and Ken Rushton’s campaign for the last three years to give the residents their say on this question. I believe the current tepid proposals from the steering group reflect vested interests in Sutton and Birmingham who wish to preserve the status quo. I don’t believe status quo has served us well.

I support the campaign for greater transparency, engagement and accountability in the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust review of services at Good Hope Hospital. We all recognise the need for reform and configuration changes but these need to be done in conjunction and with the trust of local communities.

Having burnished my local credentials, I can’t say not being a ward resident doesn’t preclude someone from being an excellent councillor, but the voters will have to decide for themselves just how active the other candidates have been on behalf of this community – outside of election time. I view the real job of a Councillor as being an extension of being a good citizen, but I know you can be a good citizen without being a Councillor. So win or lose I will continue working, rain or shine, for a better Sutton Coldfield.