Craven Council — Aire Valley with Lothersdale

10:41am Thursday 24th April 2008

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Patricia Fairbank (Conservative) No information supplied.

Robert Holland (Labour) Bob Holland and his wife retired to Cononley from the Midlands in 2005. Their daughter and family live in Bradley and grandchildren attend the local primary school and nursery.

His professional career was in social work with children and in mental health.

As a Labour councillor in Coventry for 12 years, Bob became chairman of the schools committee. As a volunteer he is now a governor at Parkwood Primary School, Keighley, and helps children aged six and seven learning to read. Bob says: "I am a committed Christian and concerned about our environment. I oppose Craven Council's plans to increase building on green belt land around Skipton for business purposes against the wishes of local residents. I support Government policy to increase rented housing."

Stephen Walpole (Lib Dem) Stephen Walpole, 45, is the son of a Sheffield steelworker. He moved to Bolton Abbey at the age of nine and was a pupil of Upper Wharfedale School.

When he was 17, he joined the Army Air Corps and served for an extended period. He received an honour for actions carried out in Northern Ireland, saving the lives of 11 men. On completion of his service, he lived in Gargrave. A computer technician, he spends a significant part of his spare time as a governor at Cononley Community Primary School, where he reports on literacy and IT provision. He says: "Having served my country, I would like to be given the opportunity to serve my community. Being a governor at Cononley School has given me the incentive to build up a great deal of knowledge about the issues that people face on a daily basis."