The list of candidates for the local elections has been released. Candidates for Levenshulme and Burnage Wards are listed below.
The LCA local election hustings will be held at St Peter’s Church on Thursday 18 April 2024.
Levenshulme Community Association is holding hustings for the local elections on Thursday 18 April 2024 at St Peter’s Church on Stockport Road.
This is your chance to ask candidates questions. All candidates are invited to take part in the hustings.
The LCA holds hustings for Levenshulme Ward and Burnage Ward because Levenshulme is covered by both these Wards and the priority for the LCA is to provide a voice and opportunities our whole community.
Thanks to St Peter’s Church for kindly hosting the hustings with the LCA.
The government has introduced Voter Photo ID for local elections this year. You MUST have valid photo ID with you when you vote in person at a polling station on 4 May. See below for a list of what photo ID will be accepted.
If you don’t have valid Photo ID (details below) you can apply for a free Voter Authorisation Certificate. You must apply before 17.00 on Tuesday 25 April 2023.
Here is a video explaining the new requirements.
You can use any of the following accepted forms of photo ID when voting at a polling station.
You will only need to show one form of photo ID. It needs to be the original version and not a photocopy.
You can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate, if:
You need to register to vote before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.
Levenshulme Community Association is delighted to announce hustings for the local elections on Thursday 27 April 2023.
This is an opportunity for anyone to come along and ask questions of the candidates. The hustings will be held at St Peter’s Church on Stockport Road (opposite Arcadia Library and Leisure Centre).
18.30 Levenshulme hustings
20.00 Burnage hustings
All candidates (listed below) have been invited to attend personally or send a representative. The hustings will be chaired by Rev George Reeves.
Levenshulme is one of the few areas that still holds hustings. We hold hustings for both Burnage Ward and Levenshulme Ward because the Levenshulme community stretches across the Ward boundaries. The LCA has done so for many years and we believe it is an important event to enable residents to hold candidates to account and hear what their ideas are for our community.
Everyone is welcome. We hope to see you at the hustings.
Remember that you must bring photo ID to the polling station to vote. This is a new requirement imposed by the government. You can find out further information HERE. A full list of which forms of ID will be accepted is available HERE.
It’s election time again and we’re back with hustings for both Burnage Ward and Levenshulme Ward after being prevented from holding them because of the pandemic restrictions.
This is your opportunity to ask questions of local election candidates in person and see how they respond. All questions will be addressed to all candidates. These are the people standing to be your local councillor and representative on Manchester City Council.
Thank you to Rev. George Reeves, Rector of St Peter and St Mark’s Parish, for kindly hosting the hustings at St Peter’s Church.
Burnage Ward Hustings
Levenshulme Ward Hustings
Candidates
Posters
The Boundary Commission for England has proposed changing the parliamentary constituency boundary that includes Levenshulme. It is also proposed that the constituency is renamed to Manchester Longsight. It is currently the Manchester Gorton constituency.
You can find out about the proposals HERE
The current consultation is live now and ends on 4 April 2022.
The existing (dark blue) and proposed new (bright red) constituency boundaries are shown below. You can switch between these views more easily on the Boundary Commission website via the link above.
Councillor Bev Craig (Burnage Ward) has been elected leader of the Manchester Labour group this evening (5 October 2021).
It is understood that Councillor Craig won in the second ballot with 51% of the vote against Councillor Luthfur Rahman (Longsight Ward). Two other candidates were eliminated in the first ballot: Councillor Garry Bridges (Old Moat Ward) and Councillor Ekua Bayunu (Hulme Ward).
It is expected that Councillor Craig will now take over from Sir Richard Leese in December as Leader of Manchester City Council. Richard Leese ends a period of 25 years as leader of Manchester Labour and Manchester City Council.
Councillor Craig has been Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council since May 2021 (Councillor Luthfur Rahman is the other Deputy Leader). Councillor Craig has been a councillor for Burnage Ward since 2011.
Levenshulme Community Association would like to congratulate Councillor Craig in her new role as leader of Manchester Labour. We look forward to continuing to work with her in the future.
Levenshulme Community Association has asked all candidates in the 2021 local elections for statements. As always we have included both Levenshulme Ward and Burnage Ward because the ward boundaries run across our community. The statements are listed in the order candidates will appear on the ballot paper. The text of all statements is reproduced below as submitted by the candidates.
The official declaration of candidates can be found on the Manchester City Council website for Levenshulme HERE and for Burnage HERE.
Levenshulme Ward (5 candidates)
Burnage Ward (5 candidates)
Levenshulme Ward
JEREMY HOAD (Independent)
Hello. I have lived in Levenshulme for almost 20 years. I love the people. I love the place.
Levenshulme is a special place with a strong diverse community that I am proud to be part of. However, many people tell me they do not feel they are being listened to, they are being taken for granted and problems persist year after year. I think we deserve better.
I will be an independent voice for Levenshulme, standing up for the priorities that we have as a community. Listening to everyone and fighting for you regardless of who you are.
I have never stood for election before or been a member of a political party and believe local politics should be about people, not parties. I am someone who knows the area, lives round the corner and who you can rely on to be open, honest and accessible.
I fought against the council’s proposals to close our baths and library and helped secure the new Arcadia facility. I am Secretary of Levenshulme Community Association and organise Levenshulme Pride, the largest free local Pride in Manchester. I have celebrated with you, been at vigils with you, campaigned with you and have challenged our councillors and council, holding them to account.
It would be an honour to represent Levenshulme as a councillor and to fight to make Levenshulme the best it can be. This is my community, your community, our community.
Think local. Be independent. Vote Jeremy Hoad on May 6.
ZAHID HUSSAIN (Labour Party)
I’m Zahid Hussain and I’m the Labour candidate representing the Labour Party in Levenshulme. I’m a working dad with three young children. I run school literacy projects to inspire underprivileged children to become young Shakespeares.
There’s a lot to love about Levenshulme. Here local residents have launched projects like Levenshulme Clean Air and Barlow Road Community Orchard, two shining examples of the Mancunian spirit.
But sadly, Levenshulme faces challenges:
– Litter louts and fly-tipping fools cause misery. I will work with residents, community groups and businesses to sweep out the rubbish.
– Reckless drivers put everyone’s life at risk. I will work with Greater Manchester Police, the Community Safety Team, and residents to make Levenshulme safer.
– Manchester City Council has declared a Climate Emergency. We must make strides in getting the neighbourhood active and I encourage parents and children where it’s safe to walk to school.
– The Pandemic has hurt families, driven up unemployment and increased poverty. Food Banks are a lifeline to many, and I will work with local groups to get the resources they deserve. No child should go hungry in our city.
The ruling Conservatives have crippled the NHS. Today we live in a world of zero-hour contracts, endemic homelessness, few affordable homes, and rising hate crime. What’s the answer to this mess? A Labour government which puts communities first.
If elected on 6 May I will diligently represent Levenshulme and help make it an even better place in which to live, work and play.
GREG SAMMONS (Liberal Democrats)
Levenshulme Station needs Access for All.
For the last year, I have been in contact with TfGM, Network Rail and Northern; arguing the case for Levenshulme, after it emerged that Heaton Chapel got funding for long overdue accessibility. Wheelchair users still can’t catch a train, I’ve seen cyclists clambering to carry their bike up to the platforms and people with mobility issues would really struggle. Manchester City Council lacks ambition but Andy Burnham has finally cottoned on. I will fight to make sure that Levenshulme station is top of any Greater Manchester list.
Levenshulme Active Neighbourhood is a fantastic idea, poorly delivered.
Despite delays in consultations and getting things set up, it still seemed to come as a surprise to so many when it was finally implemented, with no explanation of how potential later phases might alleviate issues on boundary roads. Manchester City Council lacks ambition but I would work with them to establish better consultation and communication as we near the end of this trial period.
I am invested in making Levenshulme a better place.
I am the chair of Levenshulme Inspire Foundation, a charity serving our unique and diverse community. I’m a school governor at St Andrews, which my daughter attends. I was part of a group of local residents who organised a campaign to install a pop-up bike lane along Stockport Road using government money last summer. I have campaigned alongside Clean Air Levenshulme for School Streets. Manchester City Council lacks ambition but I don’t.
ALEXANDRU STANCU (The Conservative Party Candidate)
I am running as candidate because I want accountability from our Local governence. Labour also seem to only pass the blame for their obvious failings are down to “cuts”, but ask yourself this: “How have Conservative councils with the same “cuts” elsewhere managed their finances to produce infinitely better local services than Manchester?”
The answer is that it is actually down to 25 years of uninterrupted local mismanagement. They treat residents with lofty contempt, believing they can take our votes for granted. We, on the other hand, are committed to fighting for the interests of everyone left behind by Labour. So if elected, my priorities are:
– Tackling crime. Manchester has one of the worst crime rates in Britain, with just 3% of crimes prosecuted. Police should be on beat and not the tweet.
– Stopping our local green spaces being sold off, like Nutsford Vale – being earmarked for development. Disregarding resident’s wishes to create a wildlife haven and wasting millions of pounds spent re-purposing the area into a wonderful conservation area.
– Restore/preserve our heritage site. Manchester City Council has the worst record when it comes to looking after our civic heritage, just look at Levenshulme Library back in 2016. I vow to restore our neglected heritage areas for tourists and residents alike to enjoy.
– Encourage educational opportunities for children of every background via partnership & outreach programmes.
On May 6, YOUR vote can have a critical difference to the political future for Levenshulme and for Manchester.
Your Sincerely,
Dr Alexandru Stancu
Conservative Candidate for Levenshulme
DICK VENES (The Green Party)
Once again, I’m the Green Party candidate for Levenshulme ward because I think it’s important for citizens to have the opportunity to vote for a party which places care of the Earth’s environment and people at the heart of its policies.
A healthy Green vote will act as a signal to Manchester’s Labour Council that the citizens of Levenshulme wish the protection of the local and global environments, including big issues such as climate change, to feature much more strongly in the Council’s actions.
Manchester’s political leaders often claim a link to Manchester’s radical past. In my view, this has been lost in the mists of time as the Council has embraced conventional economic theories of continuous ‘economic growth’ at the expense of an increasing inequality of citizens, and increasing adverse environmental impacts, particularly climate change.
At a local level, Levenshulme deserves better action on:
If elected, these will be my main areas of interest.
I have lived in the area for over 40 years. Now retired, my main career was as a brewer, latterly at Joseph Holt’s. I have always been involved in community organisations, including spells on the committees of sports clubs, as a cycling campaigner, and an active member of the Friends of the Fallowfield Loop.
Thanks to the LCA for organising one of the few ward hustings held in advance of the local elections!
—Levenshulme Ward Statements End—
Burnage Ward
BRIAN CANDELAND (The Green Party)
Brian has been a member of the Green Party for almost forty years and has lived in South Manchester for the past thirty-six years. Over the years he has represented the Party in elections at local, Parliamentary and European level. He is currently Chair of the Greater Manchester Green Parties Federation.
Now retired, his other interests include amateur dramatics and walking. He is a member of Friends of the Fallowfield Loop.
Brian’s priorities if elected include affordable housing and improving the local environment including protecting green spaces. He wants to see better, more-integrated public transport, cleaner air, and improved walking and cycling. He strongly supports the principle of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods but feels they need better consultation than has been the case in the Levenshulme Burnage area. Brian said “We must treat the climate emergency with the seriousness which it deserves, and all our policies must be built on that. “Burnage is an interesting, diverse and underrated part of the City with historic and beautiful areas; it would be an honour to serve the people of Burnage as a city councillor.”
BEV CRAIG (Labour Party)
I am so proud to have been a Burnage Councillor for the last 10 years and I hope with your support I can continue delivering for our local area.
Moving to Manchester from Belfast, I love our city and having lived in Burnage and Levenshulme for over a decade, I’m passionate about making it an even better place to live.
The last decade of Tory and Lib Dem cuts has been hard for our city and the council had £400million axed from its budget. Despite this I’ve stood up for our area, representing you and getting stuff done. I have championed reducing poverty, affordable housing, health, and equality causes.
This last year has been tough for us all. As the Cabinet Member For Health and Wellbeing, I’ve overseen the city’s response to the COVID crisis and am so proud of how our city and local communities like ours came together, so I want to say thank you.
Pledges: A local Labour voice, standing up for you
I always want to hear your views, please get in touch: cllr.bev.craig@manchester.gov.uk
JAMIE DWAN (Liberal Democrats)
Manchester is a fantastic city. We are a real home for culture, innovation, and a melting pot of ideas and cultures. I’m proud to have been born here and to live in the south of the city to this day, and I love living in a community with such variety.
However, our city has real issues. Growth is a good thing, but too often, too few people have seen the benefits of Manchester’s expansion. In my eyes, a large contributing factor to this is the lack of transparency and accountability at City Hall. Manchester has been a one-party state for too long, and we need change.
The Liberal Democrats have always been the main voice of opposition to Labour in Manchester, and to this day fight the corner for transparency, decency, and to create a Council that listens. That fierce localist spirit is what attracted me to the Lib Dems, and is what I want to bring to the table at City Hall.
If elected as your next City Councillor, I will be a tireless voice of opposition in holding Labour to account. I will bolster the opposition group and bring a fresh, younger perspective to the table. I’ll also be sure to deliver a regular FOCUS newsletter and update on my activities to Burnage residents and keep in touch all year round, not just at election time.
I hope that you consider voting for me as a much-needed voice of opposition at City Hall!
SHAHED HOSSAIN (The Conservative Party Candidate)
I moved to Manchester in 2005, after I completed my BSc on Business Management at Roehampton University. Since then I have been an engaged member of the community: doing charity work; being a member of the Darussalm Mosque in Longsight; and have volunteering over 422 hours to the NHS to help them response to the ongoing pandemic.
If elected, my priorities will be:
More transparency within council management: Labour has abandoned any attempt to create balanced communities in Manchester and treated with contempt people whose votes they believe can be taken for granted.
To hold the Labour council accountable. They tell everyone their obvious failings are down to “Tory cuts”, yet countless other councils are able to do more for their residents with less money.
Relieve the city’s badly congested road network – we need a transport service that can get us across and around Manchester not just a funnelled service which leads to/from the city centre going down a few main roads.
Combat fly-tipping – we need to return to more regular bin collection from monthly to fortnightly. We also need to ease access to tips and reduce the permit charge, a policy which has directly led to increased fly-tipping. The emphasis should be shifted to community service/fines to those found guilty of fly-tipping.
Do not accept yet another year of abuse and neglect of our city. Vote Conservative on 6th may and let’s foster a new age of pride and opportunity in Manchester.
Your Faithfully,
Md Shahed Hossian Your Humble, Conservative Candidate for Burnage
ANDREA TIMONEY (Independent)
Hi, my name is Andrea Timoney, and I am standing as an independent candidate for the Burnage ward in 2021. I am passionate about the area and it would be a privilege to represent Burnage if elected on 6th May.
Burnage is a great place to live, but there are always things we’d like to improve. I have lived here for six years and I can see the great projects which happen all over Burnage and the positive changes that can come about when residents and community groups work together locally.
If I am elected as your councillor I would like to focus on key areas such as:
– Roads and transport – promoting speed reduction measures in the ward to improve pedestrian safety and addressing the bus service reduction locally
– Crime and safety – working with GMP to get more PCs and PCSOs patrolling in Burnage
– Investment in youth services – working with schools and community groups to identify gaps in youth provision and promote the development of facilities for younger people as a long term investment in the area.
Being independent means I don’t answer to a political party. Instead, I promise to listen to residents and always fight for what is best for us.
Working with fellow independent candidate Jeremy Hoad in the Levenshulme ward, we will be working across the whole of M19 to benefit all of our community because I really feel we deserve better.
Please get in touch with me on Andrea.BurnageM19@gmail.com
Join our Facebook Group ‘M19 Independents’
—Burnage Ward Statements End—
The elections scheduled for May 6 2021 have been postponed because of the pandemic. This includes both the local elections and the election of the Greater Manchester Mayor.
New dates have not been confirmed yet but the elections are expected to take place in the summer (June or July). There is also the possibility they may be delayed further to the autumn.
The option of holding elections using postal ballots only has been ruled out.
We will post again when further information is available.
You can read the BBC News report on this HERE
The LCA AGM has been postponed in light of the current situation with the Covid19 virus. Officers have decided it is best to be cautious in the current climate. We will monitor the situation and advertise a new date when confirmed. This is likely to be in May or June. Officers will continue in their current roles until the AGM in these exceptional circumstances.
Candidates for the 2019 General Election
| Surname | Other Name(s) | Description (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| Kaya | Lesley Barbara | Brexit Party |
| Khan | Mohammed Afzal | Labour Party |
| Lowe | Sebastian Michael | The Conservative Party Candidate |
| Pearcey | Jackie | Liberal Democrats – To stop Brexit |
| Tyrrell | Eliza Kate | Green Party |
Levenshulme Community Association will be holding election hustings on Wednesday 27th November starting at 19.00. Further details to follow.
The LCA is holding two Hustings meetings for the 2019 local elections.
Burnage Ward
19.30, Thursday 18th April, The Klondyke, 1 Burnage Range, Levenshulme
Levenshulme Ward
19.30, Thursday 25th April, The Klondyke, 1 Burnage Range, Levenshulme
These are open, public meetings where anyone can question candidates directly. The full list of candidates is provided below.
Ward boundaries were changed in 2018 with Levenshulme Ward now expanded to include much of what was previously the Gorton South Ward which has been abolished. Burnage Ward has also expanded and now includes a big chunk of what was previously Levenshulme Ward running right up to Albert Road.
Please share and promote these Hustings. They are your opportunity to question candidates who will represent us on Manchester City Council.
| Candidate’s Surname | Other Name(s) | Description (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| Ali | Azra Gulshan | Labour Party |
| Dundas | Benjamin | The Green Party |
| Hossain | Shahed | The Conservative Party Candidate |
| Rae | Ian Sidney | UK Independence Party (UKIP) |
| Timoney | Andrea Dawn | Liberal Democrats |
| Candidate’s Surname | Other Name(s) | Description (if any) |
|---|---|---|
| Catterall | Bob | UK Independence Party (UKIP) |
| Hickey | Andrew Peter | Liberal Democrats |
| Sheikh | Basat Mahmood | Labour Party |
| Smith | James | The Conservative Party Candidate |
| Venes | Dick | The Green Party |
The LCA is holding two Hustings meetings for the 2018 local elections.
Levenshulme Ward
19.30, Wednesday 18th April, The Klondyke, Burnage Range, Levenshulme
Burnage Ward
19.30, Wednesday 25th April, The Klondyke, Burnage Range, Levenshulme
These are open, public meetings where anyone can question candidates directly. The full list of candidates is provided below.
The local elections this year are “all out” elections with ALL councillors up for election – three positions in each Ward.
Ward boundaries have also been changed with Levenshulme Ward now expanded to included much of what was previously the Gorton South Ward which has been abolished. Burnage Ward has also expanded and now includes a big chunk of what was previously Levenshulme Ward running right up to Albert Road.
Please share and promote these Hustings. They are your opportunity to question candidates who will represent us on Manchester City Council.
Find out where your polling station is by entering your postcode HERE
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday, 8th June 2017. Go in plenty of time in case there are queues.
You can still vote even if you have lost or forgotten your card.
You must register to vote by 23.59 tonight or you will not have a vote in the general election.
It takes minutes. Do it HERE
Your election.
Your MP.
Eight people ready for your questions TONIGHT.
19.00 at the Jain Centre, 667-9 Stockport Road, M12 4QE.
The list of candidates for the Manchester Gorton parliamentary by-election has been confirmed.
The hustings for candidates organised by Levenshulme Community Association takes place on Saturday 22nd April at the Jain Community Centre, 667/669 Stockport Road, Manchester, M12 4QE, starting at 19.00.
Join the GM Citizen’s Assembly
On the 4th of May, all eyes will be on Levenshulme as we elect a new MP to replace the much-loved Gerald Kaufman. But there will be another important election that day that could possibly have more day-to-day impact on our neighbourhood – the election of a Greater Manchester ‘metro mayor’.
The new mayor will cover all 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester and have powers over transport, policing and some aspects of planning too. He or she will play an important role in relation to devolution and will become something of a figurehead for our city – much like Boris Johnson or Sadiq Khan have done for London.
But one of the crucial reasons for us having a new metro mayor is to make us feel closer to democratic decision-making. It is easy to be cynical – so how do we do this?
For some time now, around 20 groups and organisations from all over Greater Manchester have been meeting to plan a special GM Citizen’s Assembly. The plans is that over 1500 people will pack out the Lowry Theatre on Bank Holiday Monday 1st May and together we will tell all of the possible mayoral candidates about some of the big issues we are concerned about and demand that if they are elected they will do something about them.
It’s a strategy that has worked very well in London and has led to the introduction of the London Living Wage which has benefited thousands and thousands of low-waged people living in the capital city.
In Greater Manchester we are going to lobby the mayoral candidates on 4 big issues: cuts to social care; homelessness; hate crime; and the Living Wage.
The Assembly won’t be boring! We understand it will be a bank holiday but we want people to make the most of the day. There will be music, drama, comedy, plays, powerful testimonies and of course hearing from the candidates themselves. We will be joined by the mayoral candidates, other surprise guests and Sir Peter Fahy. We want people to bring families and children. This is for ordinary families and people across our community.
If you’d like to come along you need to sign up. You can do so online by clicking here. Or alternatively you can join the coach that is leaving from Inspire at 12.45pm. The event is free but you need to buy a coach ticket in advance – £5 for waged people; £2.50 for unwaged.
If you want to find out more then don’t hesitate to contact me.
Anne Priest
Levenshulme Inspire GM Citizens Co-ordinator
anne.priest@itfacilitas.co.uk
A Council by-election will be held in Manchester’s Rusholme ward on Thursday 4 May 2017.
It follows Councillor Kate Chappell, one of the ward’s three current elected members on Manchester City Council, stepping down.
A full list of candidates will be published by 4pm on Wednesday 5 April at www.manchester.gov.uk/elections
Further information is available HERE
Michael Dougan, Professor of European Law at the University ofLiverpool, spoke at the Levenshulme Community Association EU Debate on 15th June. We had a great debate – informative, reasoned and respectful. Professor Dougan references the LCA debate in this video which is his analysis of the result and the consequences of the EU Referendum.
Watch the video HERE
A note on the LCA EU Debate with praise from participants and a video of Professor Dougan’s pre-referendum analysis that reflect his talk in Levenshulme are available HERE
OK, people of Levenshulme, the debate is on!
Levenshulme Community Association is delighted to announce the big EU debate.
This is an open, public meeting. Your chance to discuss and debate the EU referendum. Speakers from both Stronger In Europe and Vote Leave are being confirmed.
Should the UK remain part of the European Union or should it leave? You decide.
Levenshulme Community Association is not a political organisation and does not take a position on the EU Referendum.
http://levenshulmecommunity.org.uk/2016/06/levenshulme-eu-referendum-debate/
Congratulations to Nasrin Ali (Levenshulme) and Bernard Stone (Gorton South) for their re-elections as councillors.
Levenshulme
Turnout: 35.2%
ALI Liaqat (LibDem) 285
ALI Nasrin Bibi (Labour) 2066
BREEZE Mark (Independent) 470
DAVIES Calum Tudur James (Conservative) 164
MCARDLE Joe (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) 40
VENES Dick (Green) 764
Gorton South
Turnout: 31.28%
BROWN Sarah Louise (LibDem) 246
BURKE Martin 80
CATTERALL Bob (UKIP) 481
NEWTON Melvyn (Green) 239
OPESAN Tmo (Conservative) 141
STONE Bernard Eric (Labour) 2792