About Ros (South Dorset Liberal Democrats)

South Dorset Liberal Democrats <info@southdorsetlibdems.org.uk>

About Ros

March 21, 2010 9:22 PM
In National Liberal Democrat site

Biography

A strong community politician with a record of getting things done, Ros has lived in Dorset for 16 years. Educated at St Peter's Comprehensive, Christ Church, Oxford and the London University Institute of Education, as well as taking post graduate qualifications at the universities of Essex and Plymouth, Ros has worked since 1988 in secondary and further education, and since 1995 as a counsellor within the NHS.

Ros has a fundamental belief that we need to change the way politics are done in Britain - and that means changing the way Parliament is run as well as the electoral system. If people are to engage with politics again it must have some connection with their lives - which means that they must be able to influence it. Increasing community power locally is the only way to do this, and as an MP, Ros seeks to be a strong advocate for her constituents.

Ros is Deputy Leader and Affordable Housing Champion of the Lib Dems at West Dorset District Council and sits on the South West Council as well as being chair of Environment and Social Well Being at Bridport Town Council. Opening a Skills Centre for unemployed young people and bidding for European funds to set up a Centre for Environmental Technology are two things she has achieved for her community since being elected in 2007, as well being part of the provision of an housing scheme of 57 affordable homes for local people in her council ward. Regenerating the rural economy, providing affordable homes and increasing the power of local communities to influence their lives, enabling them to live sustainably, as well as reforming the political system are her central aims if elected as MP for South Dorset.

A high profile parliamentary candidate, Ros has been at the centre of a number of campaigns in her constituency, heading the campaign to keep open Weymouth Women's Refuge, liaising with councillors and the community to support the provision of a secondary school in Swanage, campaigning against a proposed bio-fuel plant in Portland Harbour, supporting the Youth Forum in Crossways in their bid for a Multi Use Play Area, playing a leading role with her colleagues in West Dorset in the campaign for accountability and robust financial management at Dorset County Hospital and starting the electoral reform campaign group Fair Votes for Dorset. She is a vocal and adept campaigner, able to cut through red tape and put on the necessary pressure to get things done. Ros has recently been elected to the Policy Committee of Western Counties Liberal Democrats where her particular interest is in combating rural poverty and diversifying the rural economy.