I’m Matt, I’ve lived and worked in our community for over 25 years. As a former teacher and now a probation officer, I’ve dedicated my career to helping young people build better futures. I know the challenges our community faces, and I’m committed to making a real difference

My wife and I have raised our two incredible children in local schools, and I’m now a proud grandad.

This community means everything to me.

I’ve always been active in making things better. I helped lead a successful campaign to keep our local primary school open and worked with the Parent Teacher Friends Association to support school events and fundraising.

During my teaching career, I was a union rep, standing up for colleagues and fighting for improvements in education. Now, as a probation officer, I work to help people get their lives back on track.

I’m a can-do kind of person who believes in action, not just words. I’ve seen firsthand how real hard work in the community can impact real lives, and I want to make sure our community gets the best deal. If you elect me, I’ll work tirelessly to represent you, fight for better opportunities, and ensure our area thrives.

St Helens Junction Wall REPORTED- getting SORTED

The lack of progress with the repairs to the station wall came
up a lot on my survey and when chatting with you on the doorstep.

After lobbying Network Rail, I’m pleased that works have now started to tidy up the area around the retaining wall at St Helens Junction Station. Remedial works including removal of concrete supports and work to drains are underway and repairs will then be undertaken to pin the wall and point and repair brickwork.

Originally named Sutton Incline, the station is one of the oldest in the world and opened in 1830. In around 1833 the name was changed to St Helens Junction because it was joined to the Runcorn Gap Railway by a link to St Helens Shaw Street (now Central), forming a new junction, hence the name. Shuttle trains ran between Junction and Central and we are campaigning to reopen this link.

In 2013, concern was expressed that parking space at the station was inadequate.

We lobbied hard on this and in August 2017, Merseytravel announced that a new car park would be built at the station, increasing the number of parking spaces from 66 to 240. The £792,000 package of works would also see improvements to the CCTV coverage and lighting and the creation of additional blue-badge parking spaces. The extension was completed and opened on 14 May 2018.

The current building was built in 1851 and we fought to get it listed in 2016.

We are now lobbying Network Rail and Northern to improve the waiting facilities and building before the 200th anniversary in 2030.

I’ve been truly humbled by the amount of support I’ve received from residents in Sutton. If elected, I promise to do all I can to be the very best ward councillor I can be, working hard every day to make a difference for the residents of Sutton South East.

So if you live in Sutton SE, please vote for Matt Butterworth on Thursday 3rd April