Halesowen North Conservatives select Mike Wood as candidate (From Halesowen News)

Halesowen North Conservatives select Mike Wood as candidate

11:22am Wednesday 11th January 2012 in News

Halesowen Conservatives have chosen a candidate to replace long-serving councillor Lesley Faulkner who is stepping down in May.

The party has selected community campaigner Mike Wood to contest the Halesowen North seat in the next local elections.

Mr Wood, aged 35, has a long history of campaigning for the Tories and stood unsuccessfully for the Conservatives several times in elections in the Labour stronghold of Quarry Bank.

The candidate is a familiar face in the constituency as he currently works for Halesowen and Rowley Regis MP James Morris and has been involved with the campaign to save Halesowen Fire Station from closure.

Mike said: “I am delighted that local members have put their trust in me to stand in May’s local elections.

“Lesley Faulkner has built up a deserved reputation for working hard for local residents and for putting the local community ahead of party politics and this is something that I will work to continue if I am elected.”

In recent years has also served as a vice-chairman of a small local charity and as a governor at Quarry Bank Primary School.

And the West Bromwich Albion fan also spent several years working for the Conservatives at the European Union in Brussels and Strasbourg. He added: “I want to help make Halesowen North an even better place for local families and will work to attract new businesses and new jobs to areas like Shell Corner and Hurst Green to replace ones that have been lost in recent years.”

Mike is married to Laura, who he met at Hurst Green Family Church, and they have two young children.

Halesowen North Conservative candidate Mike Wood is on Twitter under @mikejwood.