ROB ROBINSON
vote
ROB
ROBINSON
A local independent Bengeworth resident and
High Street business owner sharing the same
challenges as you. Fighting for you, fighting for
Evesham.
vote
for
change
my manifesto for evesham
Putting Evesham First – A Stronger Voice for Our Community
Transparency & Accountability in Local Government
-
Hold local leaders, including Emma Stokes, accountable for their decisions.
-
Ensure clear, honest communication between councillors and residents.
-
Push for greater public involvement in decision-making.
Infrastructure & Public Services
-
Improve roads, pavements, and parking in Evesham South.
-
Ensure better public transport links for residents.
-
Advocate for enhanced public services, including GP access and policing.
Support for Small Businesses & Local Economy
-
Champion independent businesses like Brew Bear Coffee House.
-
Work to revitalise high streets and improve town centre footfall.
-
Push for fair business rates and local investment.
Community-Focused Decision Making
-
Fight against overdevelopment without proper infrastructure.
-
Support initiatives for safer streets and community policing.
-
Work to protect and improve parks and green spaces.
Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support
-
Tackle the 30+ month SEN assessment waiting times.
-
Push for more local specialist support for families in need.
-
Demand better funding and resources for Evesham schools.
Even in historically Conservative areas, independent candidates have proven they can win by focusing on local issues.
In Worcestershire, for example, an independent (Craig Reeves) gained a Wychavon District Council seat from the Conservatives in 2024, when independent won the Harvington & Norton by-election with 42.6% of the vote.
In that same round of by-elections, another local independent, Rob Robinson, came within just 30 votes of beating the Conservative candidate in Badsey & Aldington ward, showing how close a strong independent can come even in a Tory area.
Nationally, the Conservative Party has been losing multiple council seats to independent candidates in recent years, reflecting public willingness to back local champions over party loyalists.In just two months of 2022, the Tories lost a dozen council by-elections – including two defeats to independents – highlighting how independent councillors can successfully challenge Conservative strongholds.
INDEPENDENTS CAN WIN
Worcestershire County Council itself usually has a large Conservative majority, but it still includes independent councillors who have broken through in certain divisions.This pattern isn’t unique to Worcestershire. Across the UK, voters in traditional Tory strongholds have elected independents when local issues take priority.In neighboring Herefordshire, for instance, the 2019 council elections saw the Conservatives lose overall control as 18 independents were elected to the council, far outnumbering the 13 Conservatives.
"County Elections Are Not a Referendum on National Politics – Using local elections to “send a message” to the government does nothing to fix potholes, improve schools, or manage local services."
POTHOLES, Traffic Congestion and Parking Challenges
This staggering comment (revealed in leaked emails) came despite £100,000 spent on a traffic study that has yet to produce answers . It’s little comfort to residents who endure daily jams. Even the Vale of Evesham Civic Society’s chairman blasted council chiefs for creating a “modern-day ‘Battle of Evesham’” for motorists, after officials confessed there were “no simple answers” to the town’s gridlock . In short, people are frustrated and desperate for action on traffic.
Chronic traffic congestion in and around Evesham is often cited as the town’s number one problem. Longtime locals have watched congestion go “from bad to intolerable” over the past two decades . The town’s road network – including key junctions and the crowded A46 bypass – struggles to cope with growing traffic. Worryingly, county highways officials have even admitted in private that some Evesham junction problems appear “unresolvable” .
The traffic situation in Evesham is so bad that it even made headlines in the Evesham Journal when a local café – Brew Bear Coffee House – started delivering drinks directly to drivers stuck in gridlock. While a creative and humorous response, it highlights the real frustration felt by residents who face daily traffic chaos.
potholes and roads
I will push for a more proactive approach to pothole repairs in Evesham, ensuring that issues are addressed before they become dangerous. I will work to improve reporting systems, making it easier for residents to flag problems and ensuring the council responds more efficiently. Additionally, I will continue personally identifying and reporting potholes while engaging with the community, holding the council accountable for delivering timely and lasting repairs. Our roads deserve better, and I will fight to make that happen.
The current reactive approach to pothole repairs in Evesham South means that issues are only addressed after they become a serious hazard. I pledge to take a proactive stance by actively reporting potholes for repair, particularly utilising my boots on the ground time while out campaigning and canvassing in our community. By using my time on the streets to identify problem areas and push for faster action, I will ensure that our roads are safer and better maintained, holding the council accountable for delivering timely and effective repairs.
Parking around schools in Evesham South is a daily challenge, creating congestion, safety risks, and frustration for parents and residents. I will work with the council to explore practical solutions, such as better enforcement of existing restrictions, safer drop-off zones, and smarter use of nearby parking areas. By engaging with schools and the community, I will push for measures that improve safety for children while easing the pressure on surrounding streets.
SEN Funding Delays and Parent
Challenges
For parents of children with special educational needs (SEN) in Evesham, the process of getting support – especially an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) – can be an exhausting battle. Worcestershire’s performance on handling SEN cases has drawn serious criticism. Only 27.7% of new EHCPs in 2023 were issued within the 20-week legal timeframe – meaning nearly three-quarters of families had to wait longer than they should for their child’s plan. By late 2024 the council had improved that rate to 38%, but that still leaves the majority of local SEN kids facing delays. These delays are not just statistics; they represent children going months without the right educational support, and parents left in limbo. In one case, the Ombudsman found a Worcestershire child missed five and a half terms of schooling due to the council’s “bewildering” lack of understanding of SEN laws . The council took over a year longer than allowed to update that child’s EHC plan. Such failures have been labeled “incomprehensible”.
For Evesham families, this bureaucracy can be heartbreaking. Parents often have to fight every step – chasing assessments, appealing decisions, and pushing for funding or specialist placements. Many report feeling worn down by the system. In 2019, the Ombudsman slammed the county for a case where a boy with SEN in Worcestershire missed 14 months of education due to the council’s mishandling – a clear sign that things have not been working as they should . Although Worcestershire County Council says it’s working to improve, progress has been slow. From securing speech therapy to obtaining an appropriate school placement, parents of SEN children in Evesham face an uphill struggle. Funding is part of the issue – without adequate resources, support in mainstream schools is limited and special school places are few – but communication and competence are problems too. Overall, delays in SEN support and funding are a major challenge that many local parents know all too well.
mismanagement of eveshams
miu
Our Minor Injuries Unit is on life support — and so is local accountability.
Evesham’s MIU is supposed to be open every day until 9pm — but in recent years we’ve seen:
• Cut opening hours due to staff shortages (2016)
• Unplanned early closures, like on 25 February 2025, with just a day’s notice
• Stripped back services, limited X-rays and bank holiday shutdowns
This isn’t just mismanagement. It’s neglect.
Where’s the plan? Where’s the leadership?
Our town deserves better than reduced services and radio silence from those in charge.
Our NHS staff are doing their best — but they’re under-supported, underfunded, and overstretched.
Local Economy and Small Business Support
As a high street business owner, I understand the challenges faced by local traders in Evesham. I was one of the three founders of The Sham, a grassroots movement focused on revitalising the town centre and tackling key high street issues. Our work in 2024 brought real attention to these challenges, helping to get an independent elected (Craig Reeves) and bringing me within reach of a District Council win, highlighting the town wants change. If elected, I will continue fighting for policies that support local businesses, improve footfall, and strengthen our local economy, ensuring that Evesham thrives for both traders and residents alike.
Evesham is in desperate need of drastic change, and nowhere is this more evident than the disgraceful state of the Riverside Shopping Centre. Left to decay with no clear vision for regeneration, it stands as a symbol of poor leadership and missed opportunities. Our town deserves better—better planning, better investment, and, most importantly, better leadership that will fight for real progress. If we want a thriving, vibrant Evesham, we need leaders who are willing to take action, challenge complacency, and push for the improvements our community desperately needs.
