Introducing your Labour and Co-operative Party candidate for Devon County Council, Liz Pole
Hi, I'm Liz Pole, and I am asking for your vote on 1 May 2025 to represent Heavitree & Whipton Barton on Devon County Council, which is Conservative controlled.
I am raising my family in Exeter, and I have been an Exeter City Councillor for Whipton since May 2024. I have a near-100% meeting attendance record, and I chair the "Strategic Scrutiny" committee, which holds lead councillors and officers to account on efficiency and progress.
I work hard to listen on doorsteps, act on your priorities, and keep you informed. See Facebook.com/LizForLabour
I have run a successful international software business for the past 25 years. This has taught me many skills that help me get things done as a councillor. I deliver quick fixes, follow up resident priorities, manage complex projects and turn good ideas into great solutions.
This spring I ran a "Magic Tenner" local shopping campaign with our traders. Spending £10 in a local independent shop can mean up to £50 recirculating in the local economy. I am also lobbying for a direct cross-town bus to connect Beacon Heath and Whipton with Heavitree: cutting journey times and easing congestion.
Heavitree & Whipton Barton & Mincinglake & Whipton
"Community Champions" are tidying and planting in Heavitree
Liz Pole, who has been a city councillor in Whipton since May 2024 has taken her Clean Safe City campaign a step further by forming a "Community Champions" litter picking team.
The group was formed after a resident suggested cleaning up a travel to school route last autumn. Parents and children participated in litter picking and bulb planting and Exeter City Council collected the bags. Litter picking is fun, so we have formed a WhatsApp group to help keep track of our tidy-ups. Contact 07485 194 779 to join our 'Community Champions' group chat and help make plans to take part.
Our Community Champions have recently litter picked at Lloyds Crescent, Hamlin Gardens and Vaughan Road (near Sweetbrier Lane). Liz Pole also led a clearance of weeds at Ribston Avenue (pictured page right), after Devon County Council had refused to act, forcing wheelchairs into the road.
Boosting nature and air quality
Liz Pole has been busy enhancing the Pinhoe Road corridor, planting daffodils and improving a green triangle opposite Vranch House Special Education school. She secured nine blossom trees for the green bank close to Widgery Road. She is pushing the private landlord and highways officers to install flower planters at Whipton Village shops.
Liz successfully lobbied the Live & Move team to expand their GWR Community Fund (fingers crossed) bid to include bicycle racks and information boards at Polsloe Bridge Station. Liz also met the rail user group, and planned engine upgrades are expected to boost reliability.
Exeter's MP Steve Race addressed the minister at Parliament about the need for step-free access. We would like to see a 1/2 hourly service.
We have successfully lobbied local transport officers and Stagecoach, so that the I and B bus now run along Pinhoe Road at intervals of 15 minutes. Ten new electric buses co-funded by the Labour government and Stagecoach will soon run along our Eastern corridors to improve air quality.
A Direct Bus to Heavitree from Beacon Heath
Cllr Liz Pole has been lobbying Stagecoach and Devon County Council for the past year to provide a fast, direct bus route taking passengers from Beacon Heath via Whipton to Heavitree and Sowton. Key workers deserve better than long journeys and "eat, sleep, repeat"
I'm pleased the Labour government has delivered:
» £11.6m of extra funding for buses across Devon
» Funding for 20 new electric buses for Exeter, in partnership with Stagecoach
» Funding to keep fares capped at a maximum of £3
» New powers granted to Devon County Council to give communities more control over fares and routes"
Conservative-run Devon County Council have said that they have no
intention of using these powers for the benefit of passengers. I will continue to challenge them on this as a well-run bus service will be good for residents, for air quality and the environment.