Herts and Cambs voters go to polls next week

VOTERS will go to the polls in Crow country next week, with a number of county and district council seats up for grabs.

Elections take place on Thursday, May 2, and in Royston, Conservative county councillor Fiona Hill is standing for re-election, and faces competition from Les Baker (Labour), Karen Harmel (Green), Mark Hughes (UK Independence Party), and John Winder (Liberal Democrats).

Cllr Tony Hunter (Con) is also hoping to hold onto his seat in the North Herts Rural ward. He will be up against Peter Garland (Lab), Felix Power (Green), Peter Robbins (UKIP) and Ian Simpson (Lib Dem).

Bassingbourn will have new representative after current county councillor Linda Oliver decided to stand down. Those vying to take her place are Adrian Dent (Con), Mark Holmes (Lib Dem), Simon Saggers (Green) and Mark Toner (Lab).

In Melbourn, county councillor Susan van de Ven (Lib Dem) is up for re-election. Other candidates in the ward are Duncan Bullivant (Con), David Kendrick (UKIP) and Angela Patrick (Lab).

Cllr Van de Ven is also on the ballot for the vacant South Cambs District Council seat in Meldreth, along with Mr Bullivant, Mr Kendrick and Labour candidate Turlough Stone. As reported in the Crow last month, Meldreth’s incumbent district councillor Surinder Soond tendered his resignation due to an impending move away from the area.

Orwell’s district councillor Ted Ridgway Watt has also resigned, citing work commitments, and his seat will be contested by Steve Sparkes (Con) and Aidan van de Weyer (Lib Dem).