About MeI am standing as a Councillor candidate for Blackwall & Cubitt Town ward elections on the 7th May 2026.
There are three Councillor positions in the ward, so you can vote for me and two other people. I have not been a member of a political party since 2020. So I am now standing as an independent candidate. I was the Councillor for Canary Wharf ward from 2014 to 2022, after I lost the election in 2022 I continued to be active in the community. I was first elected in May 2014 and re-elected in May 2018 for another four years as a Conservative but resigned from the party in February 2020 over the Westferry Printworks scandal. I then became an Independent Councillor but remained in the Conservative group on Tower Hamlets Council, reasons are here. I was leader of the Conservative Group at Tower Hamlets Council from June 2018 until February 2020 (which was the the only opposition group until August 2021) It took me months to accept this after I was elected but I am a politician. Admittedly only a part-time politician and I did not join a political party until I was in my 30's and I have spent a lot more time working as an accountant then I have spent in politics but that is what I am. I strongly believe in transparency and sharing information, I hope this site helps explains a little more about me. You can read copies of my newsletters here but I use: Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/1458438024296291/ & www.facebook.com/CllrAndrewWood/ and Twitter x.com/Andrewwood17 as my main communication tools. I was also Secretary of the Isle of Dogs Neighbourhood Planning Forum, a resident led non-political group working to make the Isle of Dogs a great place to live. Canary Wharf ward is the fastest growing ward in the country, the population of my ward was 12,500 people in 2011, was 19,000 in summer 2020, and if all known developments complete the population will go to around 35,000 - 40,000 people. The website of the Forum is here www.isleofdogsforum.org.uk I was from July 2017 to April 2018 Chair of the Grants Scrutiny Sub-Committee of the Council. I also sat on the Audit, Pensions, Overview & Scrutiny committee's as well as the Housing & Regeneration, Health and Childrens Scrutiny Sub-Committee's. You can find out more about me by googling me by searching for andrew wood tower hamlets My main role from 2014 to 2022 was to hold the Tower Hamlets First (Aspire) and then Labour administration to account, to represent my residents & to attend Council meetings and committee's. Background I was born in Nigeria, West Africa, to a German mother and English father. Grew up in Nigeria, Indonesia, Singapore & UK. Have travelled to more then fifty countries for work, holidays and to visit family (who have themselves worked all over the world). I studied Politics at Bristol University but then qualified as a management accountant with CIMA and have worked for a number of large companies including the old British Rail, O2, Global Crossing, MCI-Worldcom, Laing O'Rourke at the London Olympics, Saudi Telecom (in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia) and in another London Council, Hounslow. But my first and favourite job was as a camp councillor at Camp Cody in Freedom, New Hampshire where I spent eight summers teaching children outdoor and riflery skills. I also served in the Territorial Army latterly in the Intelligence Corps and was a school governor for five years in a secondary school. Born: In an American Baptist Missionary Hospital in Eku, Nigeria - 1969 Parents: Steve, from Brightlingsea, England and Dagmar from Memmingen, Germany Niece: Chloe who must have her icecream Dogs: Quintus & Astrid - when my sister allows me to borrow them Home: Cyclops Wharf on Westferry Road, opposite The Space red brick theatre |
To access previous copies of my regular newsletters click here
If you share your email address with me I will send you regular email updates mainly on local issues but occasionally political content as well
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