A Pudsey councillor is standing down after 25 years and is not seeking re-election in May’s all-out local council election in May.
Cllr Josie Jarosz has served as a councillor for Pudsey Ward since September 1993, after being elected in a by-election following the tragic death of Cllr Ann Hickinson aged 43.
Cllr Jarosz said she would miss working with colleagues Cllrs Richard Lewis and Mick Coulson. She added:
“I have a growing family of grandchildren and great grandchildren and I want to be a part of their lives. The duties of a councillor are getting more time consuming with the effort involved in trying to mitigate the damaging effect that austerity is having on public services.”
During her time as councillor, Ms Jarosz set up residents’ forums in Tyersal, Pudsey and Swinnow and more recently campaigned for better bus services in Pudsey. She has also campaigned, year in and year out for a Leeds Children’s Hospital and there are indications that a Leeds Children’s and Maternity Hospital is now finally in the pipeline.
Candidates announced
Pudsey Branch Labour Party have recently selected Louisa (Lou) Cunningham to stand in the May elections for Leeds City Council.
Ms Cunningham has a long history of working in the National Health Service, and has more recently been involved with local charities. She has a strong portfolio of community engagement projects that she has been involved with in Armley and other parts of West Leeds, ranging from litter picking to dog shows.
She said:
“I am absolutely delighted to have been selected to stand as a candidate for Pudsey. I feel very lucky to have such a dedicated, knowledgeable and committed councillor as Josie to provide mentorship for me into the role before she steps down.”
Very hard working team of Councillors there in Pudsey. Mick Coulson practically a human dynamo despite officially being a pensioner. If I’m half as active at his age I’ll be doing well.
We currently have a terrible set of Councillors in Pudsey. They do nothing for the town other than their pet projects. We can only hope that the status quo is overturned and we get the council representation our (potentially) fantastic town deserves before it is driven in to the ground. The town centre is dismal and the responsibility for that lies with Mick, Josie and Richard. Their involvement in local events is minimal and when they do get involved it adds a level of disorganisation that the people of Pudsey don’t deserve. Bring on the election and if Louisa does get elected I hope she will take no guidance at all from her Labour colleagues.