MAKE sure you vote on Thursday, in the local elections.

Who will get your vote in the Dawlish South West Ward of Teignbridge Council, where two candidates will be your next councillors?

Here's some information on each of the candidates:

Born in The Mussel Inn, Down Thomas, Wembury, Pete had joined the army by the time he was 16 in the boy’s service, where he specialised as a petroleum engineer. He has had a variety of occupations including Agricultural Merchant, a Social Services Officer, an insulation surveyor based in Exeter, a delivery driver for Fine Turf at Ashburton and a temporary contract for aggressive behaviour management at Oaklands School in Dawlish. 

Since retirement Pete enjoys walking on Dartmoor and Exmoor and tending his allotment. He wants to help with the aim of restoring decency and transparency to local politics and hopes to represent the needs of the people of South West Dawlish and its surrounding villages and estates. 

Alison Foden – Dawlish’s ‘Double-Duty’ Mayor from 2019 to 2021 –– is running for election again in May. 

With boundaries recently redrawn, Alison is standing for District and Town Council in Dawlish South West, a ward which now includes much of the town centre where she lives. An NHS worker and a tireless campaigner on local and district issues (‘Saving Devon Farms – Manor Farm, Holcombe’, ‘People Before Housing – Build the Link Road First’ and ‘Teignbridge Deserves Better Bus Services’ to name a few) Alison has also been organiser of ‘Dawlish in Bloom’ and the popular ‘Fix Fest’ repair café events. 

Balancing her NHS work with her other councillor duties, Alison is looking forward to new challenges ahead with typical enthusiasm and cheerfulness. ‘Life is complicated,’ says Alison, “that’s why it’s fun!’

Mike James is returning to stand for District and Town Council in Dawlish South West Ward. A Torbay Councillor for 14 years – and a former Torbay Council Leader – Mike has lived in Dawlish town centre for over ten years and is currently a Town Councillor. In his youth, Mike was signed for Cardiff City FC, an experience which enabled him later to coach school children in sport - including at Torbay College when he first came to the West Country. 

A former Chair of a Housing Association and co-founder of a charity for children with special needs, Mike enjoys an active retirement as a councillor and is a keen local community and NHS volunteer. 

‘There may be snow on the roof, but the fire inside still burns bright!’ says Mike.

BORN and raised in Dawlish, my roots are firmly embedded in our delightful town and I hold the future of our parish close to my heart. I completed 23 years’ service in the Royal Air force as an aircraft engineer and attained the rank of Chief Technician. During my time in uniform, I served in Northern Ireland, The Gulf and Falkland Islands. Since leaving the Armed Forces, I have been employed by the Kings Lynn Borough Council as the Client Services Administration Officer where I was responsible for the administration of repairs to 8,400 council dwellings. I have also been employed by Leicester City Football Club as the Stadium Manager and my last role was the estates manager at Hospiscare Exeter.  I have served as a town councillor and Teignbridge District Councillor since 2011.

I WISH to continue to serve the residents by working for Dawlish and ensuring that they’re needs and that of the town come first. 

I have lived, worked and brought up my family here and I am proud to live here and want only the best for the people of Dawlish. 

I will ensure that with you voting for me Dawlish’s voice will be heard in Forde House and I will stand up for Dawlish.

I believe our community is what makes this town great and I want to see that it gets the best possible outcome in the difficult times we are all experiencing.  

 Please vote for me and I promise to stand up for Dawlish.

I HAVE lived in Dawlish since 2002 and am proud to be part of this local community where I live, work and volunteer. 

My background is working as a librarian. 

Through my experiences working with various local organisations and by volunteering, I believe I understand what people want locally.

I work for the Town Council, but I can still stand as a councillor for the District Council. 

I would bring a fresh pair of eyes to represent this ward as I have not stood for election before. I want to see that our area gets its fair share of support. 

I will be a strong INDEPENDENT voice and mind and want to get things done.