Conservative candidates chosen for Ludlow local election
New Conservative candidates have been chosen to contest the Shropshire Council seats in Ludlow at the upcoming local elections.
Josh Boughton, James Durnall and Ian Scott Bell will contest Ludlow South, Ludlow East and Ludlow North respectively in May.
Well known in Ludlow from his time as barman at the Horse & Jockey, Josh Boughton said he is passionate about delivering opportunity for all through employment, and has helped to organise and promote jobs fairs in Ludlow in previous years.
Josh has been a serving infantry soldier in the Army Reserve for three years, and in the rest of his free time, volunteers as a teacher, working with classes of primary age children who need additional support to improve their reading age.
He has volunteered at a Covid vaccination hub in Ludlow, and previously spent a night sleeping rough in the town for Ludlow Rotary to raise funds to support the homeless.
Josh said: “After a difficult year, I am very optimistic about how our community and local economy in Ludlow and the surrounding villages can bounce back. But we need a strong voice and we need support from Shirehall.
"I firmly believe that by engaging more with leaders in Shrewsbury, we can start to see investment and opportunity returning to Ludlow, which seems to have gone elsewhere in the county in recent years.”
James Durnall, contesting Ludlow East, has worked in the healthcare sector for more than 20 years, and is supporting the NHS in the fight against Covid by fitting FFP3 masks to NHS staff in Ludlow Hospital as well as in Shropshire hospitals, allowing health care professionals to work on Covid wards and care for desperately ill patients.
James said his focus is on ensuring sufficient local affordable housing, and supporting young people in the challenges they are currently facing, particularly with education and job opportunities.
Passionate
James lives in Ludlow with his wife and daughter, and is often seen walking their terrier in Ludlow and Mortimer Forest.
James said: “The pandemic has brought to fore the challenges so many people face in Ludlow.
"Whether that is education and opportunity for young people, accommodation challenges or the general cost of living, I want to help address these challenges and ensure Ludlow becomes an ever better place to live, work and raise a family.”
Ian Scott Bell, a company director, lives in the heart of Ludlow, is married to Ros and has three grown up children. Ian, a former soldier, has a keen interest in keeping business local, and backs policies that support job creation in the south of the county.
In addition to supporting local businesses, Ian said he would campaign to ensure his council area remains connected to the outside world both by good rail and road links, and also by ensuring good internet connectivity. Ian says he is passionate about environmental issues which he also proposes to campaign for, whether it is affordable housing or the use of renewable energy sources.
Ian said: “Moving into the area relatively recently and starting to uncover its charm, I've also been discovering more and more about the challenges that exist for rural communities.
"This spurred me on to get involved, so I was delighted when I was successfully selected to represent the Conservative Party in the Ludlow North seat."
A list of all candidates can be found at whocanivotefor.co.uk
