TORY Councillor Wendy Maisey has announced she will not be standing in the May 2024 local elections, stating that a stalking incident had played no part in her decision.
Cllr. Maisey who represents the ward of Culcheth, Glazebury & Croft on Warrington Borough Council has today announced she will not be seeking re-election in the upcoming all-out May WBC elections, describing her reasons as ‘multi-faceted’.
Wendy commented: “After a couple of weeks of deliberation I have made the difficult decision not to stand again. I’m proud to have been part of the team comprising of three Conservative Councillors who represent the beautiful villages in our ward. It’s my home, my community and it gives me pride to know I’ll be leaving the villages better places to live, work and raise a family. Putting the community first has been at the heart of everything I have tried to do since being elected. The casework has been so varied, whether it be helping residents with housing, flooding, school places or organising a petition to save our green belt from Labour’s disastrous local plan, I’ve always been in the thick of it, always visible and accessible to all.
She added: “2023 proved to be a year where I had many changes as well as challenges in my personal circumstances, however, some of which have left me with more flexible options to move forward on to new horizons. It’s safe to say I’m really looking forward to some new ventures, and with the extra time and space I’ll gain from standing down as a Councillor, I intend to become even more involved with the national charities I support. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme has been close to my heart for almost a decade, and I will continue to work with them to change young lives for the better. Alongside this, I’ll support my friends and colleagues nationally who are standing for office again including MP’s who are campaigning for this year’s General Election.
“Some friends and colleagues have asked if the Crown Court stalking case that I recently went through has had anything to do with my decision. I can categorically say it played no part, the perpetrator received a custodial sentence for harassing me and my family and I think that sends a strong message to others who think ‘it’s game’ to behave like this towards elected representatives”.
“Yes, you need a thick skin in public office, however the positives far outweigh the negatives. My stalker was triggered by an article instigated by Labour that was published in 2021 which was eventually proven to be factually incorrect. I really hope that all Parties run a clean campaign in Warrington and that those seeking office and re-election think twice before publishing derogatory comments or articles about their opponents especially if unvalidated”.
“Finally, I’d like to thank all of the residents for their support, it’s been a privilege to serve every one of them”.
Cllr Maisey has run a niche payments company in Warrington for the past 28 years and employs around 50 highly skilled individuals. She has also been a Northern Powerhouse Export Champion for over a decade and was recently recognised by Lord Offord, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exports for her ongoing service.
She was also the Warrington North Parliamentary Candidate in 2019 and took the Labour majority down from 10,000 to 1,500. She was also the first female Chairman of Warrington Conservatives and has just finished her term as an Area Officer in Cheshire & Wirral which entails fundraising and campaigning for MP’s, Councillors and working with members in 15 constituencies.
She led the local election campaign in Culcheth Glazebury & Croft in 2021 which saw Labour lose all three seats to the Conservatives.
