Dr Richard Taylor, ex-MP for Wyre Forest

Born in Manchester in 1934. Educated at The Leys School, Clare College, Cambridge and Westminster Medical School qualifying as a doctor in 1959.

Married twice, currently to Chris, with 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Junior doctor training posts briefly in general practice but mostly in hospitals in London from 1959 - 1972.  National Service as a medical officer in the RAF with duties on flying stations in England and on Christmas Island.

Appointed as consultant physician with a special interest in rheumatology at Kidderminster in 1972. Chairman of the Medical Staff committee twice and member of the Kidderminster and District Health Authority 1982 - 1986.

Retired from medical practice in 1995. Chairman of Hospital League of Friends 1996 - 2001. Chairman of Cancer Resource Centre Appeal 1997-8 and of the Save Kidderminster Hospital Campaign Committee from 1998.

Independent MP for Wyre Forest and member of the Health Select Committee from 2001 - 2010.

Cllr Fran Oborski, Wyre Forest District Council

Fran was first elected to Wyre Forest District Council in 1973 and has served continuously ever since.

She has been a member of Worcestershire County Council since 2001 and Honorary Consul for West Midlands of the Republic of Poland.

Born in London, brought up in South Wales, she trained as a teacher at the then Worcester College of Education and then taught in Shropshire, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

She spent her final 10 years before retirement as Birmingham LEA Adviser with responsibility for Raising the Attainment of Children in Care.

She represents the Wyre Forest DC on Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

She is the Joint Opposition Lead on Education and Health; Worcestershire CC, Chair of the Wyre Forest Local Children and Young People's Partnership and personal trustee, Kidderminster and District Youth Trust.

She is also Governor of various Wyre Forest Schools (Vice Chair at King Charles 1 High and new Wyre Forest School (Generic All Age Special School) and a former Mayor of Kidderminster.

Jim Smith, WAVOCC (VCS)

Jim Smith is the Chief Officer of WAVOCC (Worcestershire Association of Voluntary Sector Organisations in Community Care). WAVOCC are the Voluntary and Community Sector infrastructure organisation that are specific to the county and Health/Social Care/Wellbeing.

As such Jim's experience includes - representation and partnership, marketing and communications, VCS support services, and leadership. Jim is educated to Masters level, and his previous roles have included Graduate School Manager (Worcester University), and Marketing and Communications Manager for a high street and national bank.

Mark Jackson, Chief Executive of St. Richard's Hospice

Mark Jackson joined St Richard's Hospice as Chief Executive in February 2006 in time to plan the move to the new hospice that autumn and the expansion in staff and services that has happened since then. A graduate of the Army Staff College and the Open University, he has a Masters in Hospice Leadership degree from Lancaster University Management School. A former Army Officer, Mr Jackson, returned to his roots after travelling with his wife Kathy and family all around the world while working for HM Forces. Raised in Worcestershire, and a former schoolboy cricketer for the county, Mr Jackson followed his father into the Worcestershire & Sherwood Foresters Regiment.

His army career spanned the Cold War and troubles in Northern Ireland as well as working for NATO and two years in the USA co-ordinating British participation in coalition training for operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Mr Jackson was awarded the OBE when commanding the Regiment.

Peter Pinfield, Healthwatch

Peter Pinfield has been appointed Chair of Worcestershire HealthWatch and will be taking up his new role in shadow form in readiness for taking on the full Statutory responsibilities in April 2013.

Peter's background and experience in Health and Social Care matters spans over thirty years in Worcestershire. As well as being a past Chair of the old Social Services Committee, he has in the past been the County's Champion for Older People, Chair of Scrutiny for Social Care matters and a Member of Cabinet. His experience within the NHS goes back some twenty years, currently a None Executive Director of the PCT where he leads on Patient and Public Involvement matters and Chairs the Joint Consultative Consultation Carers Committee. He sits on major Committees looking at Learning Disability and Mental Health matters .Peter was very supportive in getting the current Carers Strategy signed up and committed to by many of the County's Stakeholders.

A passionate supporter of those marginalised or less able to speak up for themselves, he has led many local campaigns to highlight discrepancies in services.

Cllr Marcus Hart, Worcestershire County Council, Cabinet Member for Health and Well Being

Marcus Hart has been a serving member of Wyre Forest District Council since 2002 and was first elected to Worcestershire County Council representing the St Johns Division in 2005.  He served as Chairman of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee 2008-2009. 

When re-elected to the County Council in 2009, he was appointed to the Cabinet as Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Young People (0-11) and had the lead responsibility for safeguarding.

In September 2010 Marcus became the Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Education and then in May 2011 became the Cabinet Member for Health and Well Being, which is his current Cabinet position. 

In his Health role, he is Chairman of the Health and Well Being Board and Chairman of the Tobacco Control Alliance. .

In addition to his local government duties, he is also a practicing criminal defence solicitor.

Cllr Bill Hartnett, Leader of Redditch Borough Council

Bill Hartnett became Leader of Redditch Borough Council in June 2012, but he has over 27 years of experience in Local Government under his belt, having served on both the former Herefordshire and Worcestershire County Council and the subsequent Worcestershire County Council. He represented Redditch seats on both having been elected for the Church Hill seat in 1985.  He has also represented this ward on the Borough Council since 1989.

As well as his active role as a Councillor, he has also served on various public and voluntary bodies at local, regional and national levels including the last ten years on the West Mercia Police Authority.

He is also the founder member and current chair of the Redditch Co-op homes and also founded and chairs the Holocaust Memorial Committee.

On top of all this he still finds time for his day job at an Engineering company, based in Redditch! And in his spare time, Bill definitely has the travel bug, having toured around over 80 countries including Iran, Albania and Honduras.