Gareth Dowling

Over the past 12 years, I have worked closely with residents, community groups, fellow councillors, council officers and other organisations to bring about improvements to the lives of the people of Ormskirk. Through small interventions and partnership working, we have been able to bring about successes such as road resurfacing, infrastructure investment and town centre activities. I have lived in Ormskirk all my adult life and I have previously worked for Alzheimer’s Society, working in partnership with local agencies to set up Dementia Friendly West Lancashire in 2016. In the ward I have chaired the Police and Communities Together (PACT) meetings for many years, until police funding cuts abolished them, but still work closely with Lancashire Constabulary. And we continue to keep the developers at bay, protecting our green space and putting a stop to further student House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) conversions in the town since taking power in 2015. We have maintained our award-winning Green Flag Coronation Park, preserved our 700 year old charter market – even when opposition councillors talked about its closure, and kept Park Pool open. On 7 May, you will have the opportunity to use your vote for who you feel will best represent and serve your needs. I have a proven track record of standing up for local residents, putting residents first and foremost before any party politics. On the council, I have always been a team player and enjoy successful cross-party working on residents’ issues, such as working closely with the Conservative Leader to introduce a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to tackle drag racing and car meets locally; with Our West Lancashire (OWLs) on tackling fireworks nuisance and town centre car parking; and with Independent councillors to save our council’s housebuilding company. Even an OWL councillor notes, “I was so pleased with the work Councillor Dowling put in to the car parking charges in Ormskirk” and “he works hard".