Paul Barton

Resident in Woodley since 1979, I am a widower with family overseas. I retired early to care for my wife in the latter stages of her breast cancer.

I would bring my experience including managing large diverse organisations in tight financial situations to WBC, having worked as a turnaround specialist in private equity. I am a Chartered Accountant with an economics degree and MBA, Previously I was Financial Director and a Board Member of multinational companies in the UK and Europe. I have lived and worked in Germany, France and Spain and speak all three languages. In addition, I was employed and resident in the US for 3 years.

I served as a Town Councillor in Woodley for 4 years in the early 2000s and was Leader of the Finance Committee. I initiated and managed the introduction of a new budgetary control system.

My particular motivation is to bring my care home and sports facility management experience to WBC having worked as a volunteer as Treasurer of Berkshire County Sports and Chairman/Treasurer of the Abbeyfield Reading retirement care home (10 years).

I sing in a local choir and play bass trombone in the South Berks Concert Band.

Shelia Jordan

I was born in the Royal Berks Hospital and grew up in Newbury.  I lived in Slough before moving to Whitegates in 2003. I love the area, which has good bus transport links to Reading, good road access, a mixed interesting community with varied housing, and a multi faith, multi-cultural population. My husband was brought up in Reading and works for Reading buses. After training as an accountant, I have worked mostly in the charitable sector. I retired from work last year.

I was elected to Earley Town Council in May 2023. I believe in Liberal values, a fair, more equal society with opportunities for all, where no one is excluded or left behind. I am interested in the environment, transport, fair trade, and the eradication of poverty locally, nationally and around the world. I like drinking real cider, am a member of CAMRA and often work on the cider bar at local beer festivals.

Steve Nash

My wife and I came to live in Woodley in 1987.  We have brought up four children here, two of whom needed additional support in school.  So we have experienced many aspects of the educational process here.  We brought my mother here when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's so that we could help her more easily.  We are members of Christ Church Woodley and have engaged with the community support and campaigns of the church including Make Poverty History, Woodley Poverty Forum, Holiday Bible Club, installing a public Defibrillator and support for the Food Bank, Lunch Bunch and now Keep Mobile.

I am standing because I believe that we need to support democratic processes if we want democracy to thrive in this country.  I want to see all people treated with respect and fairly, according to their needs and their resources. If elected I will work to improve council communication to ensure they are communicating effectively with everyone in the borough.