Ruth Wilkinson and David Rundle

I was elected in May 2008.  I am a community activist and campaigner by background, and have been involved in all sorts of community groups -  parent governor, running a Cub pack, setting up a toy library, postnatal support, tenants and residents, regeneration board etc.

I have campaigned against the Iraq War, against the privatisation of the NHS, against the imposition of ID cards, against student tuition fees, and for better pay and conditions in education and local government. I have also campaigned for the replacement of street wardens, for the retention of sports facilities,  for the introduction of outreach library services in inner city areas, and against the closure of the Iffley Post Office.

I am proud to be the Secretary of the Oxford City Lib Dem Group.  I am the Lib Dem nominee on  the Joint Consultative Committee which addresses city council staff-related issues, and I have voting rights on behalf of Oxford City Council at the Local Government Information Unit Management Assembly. I was recently elected onto the LGIU Executive Board and am now a trustee of this national think tank on local government.

I have given presentations to Thames Valley Police on resident involvement in Neighbourhood Action Groups, and wrote a script and took part in filming for a police training video on antisocial behaviour.  Last year I took an active part in a Scrutiny Review on tackling antisocial behaviour within the City, and I have helped set up the Friends of Bury Knowle Park Group.

I am married with two grown up children. My interests include visiting art galleries and eating out, and I support Kent Cricket Club. I look forward to a week at the Edinburgh Fringe every summer, and my favourite place of all is the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. I work full-time at Oxford Brookes University as the Wheatley Campus Library Manager and I’m a trades union steward. I am also heavily involved in job evaluation of support staff posts on behalf of UNISON. I have worked as a librarian in the NHS and in further education, and also have retail and factory experience.

I consider myself very fortunate to be working with such an experienced and supportive ward colleague in David Rundle, and I am grateful to the people of Headington for allowing me to represent you!