Ros Kayes selected as PPC for South Dorset

10.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 26th Sep 2008

Ros Kayes

South Dorset Liberal Democrats have chosen Ros Kayes, who is a Councillor in Bridport and West Dorset, as their Prospective Parliamentary Candidate.

Ros Kayes graduated from Christ Church, Oxford, then completed a MA, and also an Advanced Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy. She has worked for the BBC and the GLC, as well as in fields of education and health. She left employment to have a family and returned to education as Head of Citizenship at Yeovil College. She and her husband live just outside Bridport.

In 2006 she was elected to Bridport Town Council, where she is Chair of Plans and Vice Chair of the Environment Committee. In 2007 she was elected to West Dorset District Council where she became deputy Leader of the 16 strong Lib Dem Group.Current campaigns include working to establish a Skills and Learning Centre and working to establish an affordable housing exception for 50 homes.

As a teacher, mother to two children, & Counsellor in the NHS Ros wants to protect the interests of families struggling to cope with low incomes in the current credit crisis. Fighting to achieve affordable housing in the Constituency, developing employment & skills as well as seeing a lasting economic legacy from the 2012 Olympics are priorities for her, as is the preservation of the unique environment in South Dorset and getting to grips with transport & recycling issues.

"Living locally gives me a head-start & a great opportunity to meet as many people in the Constituency as I can & to listen to their concerns about the issues that face them. We will take these issues on as part of our community campaign team. As a Councillor I am always being approached about the problems faced by people in my ward - & I take action to get things done. I will hope to do the same for constituents in South Dorset".

Ros with local Council colleagues

Weymouth and Portland have established a firm base from which Ros Kayes can fight the General Election in South Dorset. In the 2008 Borough Elections the Liberal Democrats put up candidates in seven wards, and came first in each one they contested. They polled 5332 of the 11044 votes cast in those wards, (over 48%).