One week today, many Oxton residents will be heading to the polls to place their X in the box next to the name of their chosen candidate in the council ward by-election.
The by-election is taking place due to the death of Cllr Andy Corkhill, who passed away on 4 October. Andy was just 36, but had been fighting recurring outbreaks of cancer since he was at university.
The election for the Oxton ward will take place on Thursday, 25 November, with polling stations open between 7:00am and 10:00pm.
The votes will be verified and counted that evening and a councillor for the ward will be elected on Thursday 25 November 2021.
Following is a full list of Oxton candidates, in alphabetical order by surname.
Oxton
| Party | Candidate |
|---|---|
 Green | Rachel Heydon |
 Labour | Susan Mahoney |
 Conservative | Philip Merry |
 Liberal Democrats | Orod Osanlou |
Rachel Heydon Green
My name is Rachel Heydon. I’ve lived in Oxton for the past 15 years. I am a teacher at Wirral Met College.
My top priorities are:
Protecting green spaces. Green Party gains have been pivotal in shifting council policy to “brownfield first” for new housing. This is vital in order to protect our green spaces and to prevent the erosion of Oxton’s character. Green councillors have pressed hard to achieve environmental gains including more tree planting and support for biodiversity.
Tackling road danger. Oxton wasn’t built for the car and the other parties have failed to address the resulting danger, health implications and aggravation. Greens have pioneered solutions such as low traffic neighbourhood schemes that prioritise walking and cycling and reduce car dependency. We have been instrumental in bringing School Streets to Wirral which will tackle congestion, pollution and danger at drop-off and picking up times.
Protecting services. Greens have a strong track record in supporting communities. Data from Wirral council shows that Greens report, on average, at least twice as many issues as councillors from other parties. As an Oxton resident I am ideally placed to provide the same hard-working approach to ensure Oxton gets the attention it deserves.
Susan Mahoney Labour
Oxton deserves a councillor who will listen, represent residents’ views and stand up for what matters most.
I’ve been out on the doorstep in Oxton talking to residents regularly. The key issues that have been raised are around keeping the area clean, green and beautiful.
I’m a tireless environmental campaigner and will work to keep Oxton looking its best.
Many people mentioned the lack of affordable housing. I am the vice-chair of Save Our Social Housing and have experience fighting for affordable housing.
Transport is also a key priority in Oxton. We need a better, more affordable bus service. As a carer myself, I have run successful campaigns to make public transport more accessible for people with disabilities.
Oxton is a hub for brilliant independent businesses, and it’s vital that they are helped to grow and keep our area thriving. I will support local businesses and work with them to look at grants available.
I was part of Wirral Labour’s successful campaign to save the Williamson Art Gallery in the 2021 budget, and I will work to protect it for future generations to enjoy.
Philip Merry Conservative
I’ve lived in Oxton my whole life. I grew up here, went to school here, and I care about making our community the best it can be for all of us. I want to be your councillor because I have a positive vision for our community.
If you elect me on the 25th I will fight to invest in more litter bins, keep grass cut, and ensure rewilding doesn’t simply become neglect. I want to make our area as beautiful and vibrant as we know it can be.
I would also make the roads safer for our children, especially around school times. An inconsiderate few are currently making our roads hazardous, and it has to stop.
Finally, I will fight for the fair share of the £88million the Conservative government are investing in Wirral. We can build affordable homes for our young people, repair our roads, and install electric charging points across the borough.
If you elect me as your councillor, I promise to work with colleagues of all parties to make our area the best place to live, work, and raise a family.
Orod Osanlou Liberal Democrat
Oxton residents expect their councillors to keep them informed; to listen to their views; and to act to get things done.
My first priority will be to provide the service Oxton residents rightly expect and be responsive to their needs.
A priority within the ward is to make residential roads safer and more pleasant places to live, by limiting traffic speed to 20 mph. Parking is a problem in the ward and we particularly need measures to reduce the congestion around our schools.
A number of homes within Oxton experienced the misery of flooding during recent heavy rain: we need to ensure drains are running properly and provide support to make at-risk properties more resilient.
I want to support voluntary groups, such as the Oxton Society and Friends of the Arno. I want to see improvements to alleyways and a programme to replace uneven pavements on the Wimpey estate.
I want to see the precious Williamson open again on Sundays.
The Council faces severe difficulties, but residents are not interested in politicians blaming each other for the problems: they want councillors to concentrate on getting the bororugh’s finances back on track and protecting the services we all rely on.
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