Personal statements from all those standing on Thursday 6th May
.
The VGS has put together profiles of all the candidates for the upcoming local elections this week:
Town Council elections – candidates – Vision Group for Sidmouth
.
The candidates have been approached and asked to provide their own personal statements.
The VGS shall be publishing these as of today.
.
Sidmouth (South)
Rachel Perram
.
I grew up in nearby Venn Ottery and am married to a genuine Sidmouthian. We have one teenage daughter and live in the South Ward. We are passionate supporters of Sidmouth and our heritage.
My background is in marketing and creative management. We lived and worked in the South East for 12 years and moved back down in 2004. I worked at EDDC in Democratic Services for 4 years. I have also been a Parish Councillor in Otterton, where I was the first elected woman. These positions have given me a strong understanding of local democracy and empathy for the residents in our district.
I have various voluntary interests:
- I am one of the leaders of the Sidmouth Plastic Warriors and campaign and lobby to raise awareness of and reduce our reliance upon, single use and ocean plastic.
- I volunteered for Sidmouth Cricket Club Colts for 7 years, helping to coordinate this section for two years.
- I am also Secretary of the Sidmouth Hot Cross Bun Committee. This tradition is a vital part of our town’s history and I have taken over from my late father-in-law, who helped to keep this going for some 50 years.
I attend the Town Council’s Environment Committee meetings on behalf of the Plastic Warriors and am very happy to speak up and suggest ways in which we can help to improve or maintain the beauty of our town. One of my recent pushes has been to improve and to reinstate litter bins that have been removed in and around our town. I am also lobbying to introduce littering enforcement in our district as well as to instate a ‘lengths person’ to carry out street sweeping, small repairs etc. It is clear that these will no longer be carried out on a regular basis by our cashstrapped District Council.
Sidmouth has a thriving economy that is heavily reliant on tourism. I am very aware of the need to support the residents that live and work in and around Sidmouth. I am conscious of the diversity of our residents and the importance of providing age and ability appropriate resources that will help us thrive, both now and in the future.
I would love to help build links between our residents to the Town Council and build on the work that has already been carried out by the present councillors.
I have been asked to stand by several people and, if elected, promise to work hard on your behalf. Do tell me what is important to you. I am happy to try and help.
.