A FORMER Bromsgrove Labour group leader has joined forces with Charford residents to form a new political party.

Independent councillor Michael Thompson and residents Patrick Proudfoot, Emma Brooks and Robert Davies have formed the Charford Residents’ Association.

The party was formally launched earlier this month on approval from the Electoral Commission and can now be named on the ballet of any election in the UK.

It intends to fight for the concerns of the people of Charford.

The leader of the party, who occupies the district council seat, Charford Ward, is Dr Michael Thompson, formerly the leader of Bromsgrove Labour group.

The chairman is Patrick Proudfoot, who also chairs the local neighbourhood watch, and is a former shop steward at Garrington’s.

The party will aim to act in the collective interest of the residents of Charford and its objective is to further the interest, well-being and prosperity of its people.

The emblem of the party was designed by local resident and chair of the party, Patrick Proudfoot, with input of ideas from local historian, Annie Deeley.

The wheatsheaf and the hammer being held by the figures on the emblem represent Charford’s agricultural and tool making history.

Dr Michael Thompson said: “Apathy is evidenced in the per cent turn-out for local elections. No councillor really has a mandate from the people. When I became independent, I wanted to see how a councillor could really and truly represent the voice of a community, so I created a local party – entirely at the service of the residents and free from the ideology and destructive bickering of party politics."

Chairman Patrick Proudfoot said: “It is our belief that listening, evaluating and then working together to deliver, eventually brings a result that we can all feel we have all been a part of. That is the true meaning of democracy. In Charford Residents’ Association we all come from different political backgrounds – we respect our ideas and see it as a strength. ”