Will Forster

Campaigning to be the Lib Dem MP for Woking, Deputy Leader of Woking Borough Council and Councillor in South Woking Learn more

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Elected as Mayor of Woking

by willforster on 21 May, 2018

I was delighted and honoured to have been elected as Woking’s 45th Mayor during the Annual Meeting of Woking Borough Council on Thursday 17th May.

As Mayor, I am the non-political head of Woking Council and the Borough as a whole.  Over the next year I will be attending as many ceremonial, civic and community events as I can during my term of office.  As part of my role, I also have the challenge of chairing Full Council meetings.  Although I am apolitical as Mayor and a Borough Councillor, I will continue to service as the Lib Dem County Councillor for Woking South.

I am also delighted to say that I will not be doing all this alone, as my partner Hannah will be supporting me as Mayoress throughout the year.

Having lived in Goldsworth Park and then Westfield for more than two decades, with my 9 years experience as a Councillor and having run to be Woking’s MP, I often feel as if I know Woking like the back of my hand, but I am certain that over the next year I will get to know the Borough even better.  We have a great town and Borough, with a strong sense of community – and as Mayor, I am looking forward to celebrating and highlighting the good work being done by voluntary organisations across the whole of Woking Borough.

I have chosen to support Woking’s local homeless charity, the York Road Project, as the Mayor’s Charity.  The York Road Project provides emergency lodging, longer term accommodation and ongoing support to help those experiencing homelessness get back on their feet.

I am hoping that I can help raise funds for this very deserving cause, and also raise awareness as to how local residents can best support people who have fallen on hard times.

I have a long history of supporting the York Road Project.  My late Grandmother was a strong supporter of the shelter.  Back when I was a teenager, when I worked at a bakery and café in Woking town centre, I used to drop off unsold food at the Project on my way home.  Finally, having represented the area the York Road Project is in since 2009, I have regularly supported them including granting much needed funding from my County Councillor’s Members’ Allocations fund for good local causes.

   4 Comments

4 Responses

  1. Woking Symphony Orchestra were delighted to welcome you and your consort to our concert on Saturday June 23rd in the HG Wells, Woking, which we hope you enjoyed.

    I would like to point out that the music for two of the pieces we played – Beethoven 7th Symphony and Rachmaninov 3rd Piano Concerto – was provided by SCC Performing Arts Library, which is currently under threat, and the loss of which would be disastrous for the many music groups, choirs, drama groups etc. who use this facility.

    Also under threat is the HG Wells centre itself, currently planned to be demolished around 2020 with no comparable venue on the cards.

    Thank you for reading this, and we hope to see you at another of our concerts later in the year. Our next is on November 24th.

    Kind regards,
    Daphne Balchin

    • willforster says:

      Hello Daphne,

      Many thanks for inviting Hannah and I to your recent concert at HG Wells, it was really good – the pianist was amazing! I am more than happy to attend other events again and support the Woking Symphony Orchestra as much as I can.

      All the best,

      Will

  2. I would like to congratulate you on your recent appointment as Mayor of Woking.
    There is one problem that i have experienced since accessing your borough where i work. The traffic at Junction 3 from M3 is a nightmare and i think you should learn from Basingstoke who have a modern state of the art huge Roundabout that filters traffic from nearby areas like Newbury reducing costs on business because there is less time lost in congestion.
    To access Guildford Rd from Motorway can cost you 30 minutes while stuck at the slip road in motorway which is unsafe considering the speed of traffic in the motorway.
    This is the challenge you currently face as Mayor and i hope you were aware of this outdated Roundabout.
    I look forward to hear from you soon.

    Thank you.

  3. Agnes Haldys says:

    Could I please be contacted by the Lord Mayor of Woking as I need urgent advice
    Yours Sincerely
    Agnes Haldys
    Chairperson of Petworth Court Residents Association
    Flat 4 Petworth Court
    Maybury Hill
    Woking
    Surrey
    GU228BN
    M 07510145087

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