District Council elections are taking place for North Herts District Council this Thursday, May 2nd.

Walsworth: Kay Tart

“I was born in Walsworth and have lived in the ward almost all of my life. I am now raising my own family here and my children go to Purwell School where I am the co-chair of the PTA. I am very active in our community as a campaigner and this year I have the privilege of being the secretary for the Walsworth Festival Association.

As a Walsworth resident I have a deep rooted understanding of the issues and challenges faced by local people and I am standing for election because I want to make a difference to our community and to ensure that residents’ concerns are heard and addressed by North Herts District Council. With Universal Credit rolling out in our area it is now more important than ever that your local councillors stand up for the most vulnerable people in our community and I will work with welfare rights groups and local organisations to ensure that residents affected by this rollout can access advice and support.

I am very concerned about the effect that cuts to local government funding are having on our parks and children’s centres and, if you elect me, I will fight to ensure that these invaluable local services and amenities are protected. I will take every opportunity to listen to and work with local people and community groups to make sure that our local services are adequately funded.

We need affordable homes in Hitchin, but not at the expense of our environment, parks and green spaces and only with proper investment in local infrastructure such as roads, schools and doctors’ surgeries. I believe any local development plans must ensure that developers are held to account regarding affordable housing and the effect on our local community.

As your Labour and Co-operative Party candidate I am committed to working for a fairer society, believing that things work best when everyone has a voice and when services are accountable to the people who use them.

This May you have the opportunity to bring in real change at NHDC. So vote Labour on 2nd May.”

Pirton: Anton Jungreuthmayer

“I have been a Pirton resident for nearly 30 years and I’m standing for election because I want to make a difference to our community and to ensure that residents’ concerns are heard and addressed by North Herts District Council.

The ruling Conservative group running the council have been responsible for the fiasco surrounding the new bin collection contract. The council’s continuing inability to sort out the Churchgate Centre is a disgrace, as is the massive waste of time, money and energy on making the new museum available to the general public. This May there is a real opportunity to change the political
complexion of the Council for the better.

As a parent of two children who have benefited from growing up in a village environment, I am only too aware of the serious issues that those of their generation now face. It is vital that adequate provision is made for affordable housing for sale or rent, so that our young people do not have to leave the communities in which they have grown up, simply to find somewhere to live. Developments of mainly large family homes have been approved locally with little or no provision for young families or older residents. We need
affordable homes but not at the expense of our environment and only with proper investment in local infrastructure such as roads, schools and doctors’ surgeries.

Although transport is not a direct responsibility of the district council I would press the county to do all in their power to improve the services available to the users of local bus services and would be an advocate on their behalf.

Chronic under-funding in schools, ever increasing NHS waiting lists, the housing crisis and the shameful increase in food banks, homelessness and inequality are just some of the areas that desperately need to be addressed both locally and nationally.

As your Labour and Co-operative Party candidate I am committed to working for a fairer society, believing that things work best when everyone has a voice and when services are accountable to the people who use them.

I very much hope you will feel able to support me.”

Cadwell: David De Smet

“I have lived in North Herts, in a village north of Hitchin, for the past 22 years. My two children have benefited from growing up in a supportive and enriching village environment and both attended local state schools.

I have worked in many local authorities over a 30 year career and understand how local government operates. I also have seen at first hand the damaging impact of austerity on local authorities, both from the Conservative government and from the poor spending priorities demonstrated by the Conservative controlled North Herts District Council.

I will work closely with local parish councils and residents to fight inappropriate developments in our area. I am keen to protect our countryside and villages from over-development, while at the same time ensuring that adequate provision is made for truly affordable housing for sale or rent. Our young people should not have to leave the communities in which they have grown up, simply to find somewhere to live.

I am very concerned with green issues, having also worked at an environmental charity and I am keen to ensure that the Council adopts a green agenda and that sustainable working is core to everything that it does. I believe that outsourcing to the private sector results in a poorer service and a loss of local control. The failure in service delivery by the refuse contractor Urbaser is a case in point. I will use my extensive experience of contract and project management audit to ensure that there is adequate and effective scrutiny of all Council contracts and ensure that contractors face the consequences when they fail to deliver.

As your Labour and Co-operative Party candidate I am committed to working for a fairer society, believing that things work best when everyone has a voice and when services are accountable to the people who use them. If elected I promise to campaign on your behalf, to ensure that your voices are heard and your issues and concerns responded to.

This May, we have a very real opportunity to change the political complexion of the Council. For far too long the local Conservative leadership have shown themselves to be arrogant and out of touch, frequently disregarding the legitimate concerns of the public they are meant to serve – it is time for change!”

Bearton: Judi Billing

“I have been an active local councillor in Hitchin for many years. My children went to local schools and still live in the area as adults with their own families. I am therefore painfully aware that inexcusable cuts to local services and the housing crisis have made Hitchin unaffordable for many young families.

We still face many problems in Bearton Ward including lorries ignoring clearly marked bans and residential areas blighted by industrial traffic. My Labour colleagues & I have had many successes on your behalf, such as the introduction of 20 mph streets but also some frustrating battles with the Conservative District and County Councils.

The fiasco we have endured around the new bin collection contract has been disgraceful and incompetent. The Conservative Council’s continuing inability to sort out the Churchgate Centre and the massive waste of time, money and energy on making the new museum available to the general public have all been scandalous.

If re-elected in May I will continue to fight to ensure that we provide the housing we need, to allow our young people to stay in the communities that they love and call their home. I will work to insist on improvements and retention of our public parks and I will continue to fight for a new road to the industrial estate which will bypass our residential areas making them greener and safer from their current dreadful levels of air pollution.

As your Labour and Co-operative Party candidate I am committed to working for a fairer society, believing that things work best when everyone has a voice and when services are accountable to the people who use them. If you re-elect me on May 2nd I will continue to listen to the voices of all the people in Bearton Ward and work on your behalf with Ian Albert & Val Bryant. I very much hope you will feel able to support me.”