Voters in the Harpenden North & Rural ward will be heading to the polls on Thursday, October 17, to elect a new district councillor.
It comes after Beth Fisher stepped down as a councillor for the ward last month.
In May this year, Ms Fisher was elected to St Albans City & District Council as the Liberal Democrat representative for the ward, receiving 1,161 votes.
Polling stations for the by-election will be open from 7am until 10pm.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service asked each candidate why voters should put a cross next to their name – you can find their answers below.
Sue Griffiths – Conservatives
“I love living in Harpenden and have lived here for nearly forty years and raised three children in this wonderful place.
“I am extremely proud to live in our town and am dedicated to supporting this vibrant, exciting and diverse community.
“As a teacher I am also passionate about helping young people succeed in life.
“I work part time as a business lecturer in a local college and also work as a supply teacher locally.
“My aims are to protect the high street by opposing the plans to charge for parking in the town centre, support our seniors by opposing the removal of discounted access to local car parks which is now means tested.
“I wish to keep Harpenden great by protecting our green spaces, local services and infrastructure from inappropriate speculative development and to always put Harpenden and Harpenden North & Rural first.”
Ross Harper – Labour
Cllr Mike Hobday, deputy leader of the council’s Labour group, said: “A vote for Ross Harper is a vote against a Liberal Democrat council which has stopped listening to local residents.
“For many, the council’s appalling approach to car parking charges in Harpenden has been the last straw.
“Liberal Democrat councillors are arrogantly following an agenda to raise money for the council regardless of the impact on local people or businesses.
“A Labour councillor in Harpenden will not change control of the council. But residents will get a champion who will hold the council to account for its mistakes and who will always stand up for the town.
“But it’s not just on car parking charges where the council is letting residents down. Across the District, over 200 children are living in temporary accommodation because the council has not found them permanent homes.
“And the council’s biggest project – devising a new local plan – prioritises green belt development instead of using previously developed land in our towns and countryside.
“It’s time for change!”
Mario May – Green
“He is an active community-builder and absolutely determined to protect our green spaces and wildlife and build social justice.
“There are currently three Green councillors on the district council, making up the second largest [Green and independent] group and holding the Lib Dem administration to account.
“Green campaigners work with the community and the Council, campaigning for change and bringing in new ideas that are making the district a better place.
“Greens achievements include:
- A ‘right to grow’ policy for unloved patches of land
- A reprieve for market street traders threatened with huge fee increases
- Campaigning vigorously for the Local Plan to avoid building on the green belt
- Co-founding Wilder St Albans – a district-wide biodiversity project
- Campaigning to save hundreds of trees from being felled
- Launching a huge petition to reduce abstraction from River Ver
- Four new disabled parking bays at St Albans station
- Motion passed at Council to back a 20mph district-wide speed limit
- Monitored air pollution levels
- Got Council to back more action for cyclists and walkers
- Got electric taxi scheme going
- Switched Council planting to more perrenials, saving cash
- Got hundreds of solar panels put on leisure centres
- Got Council to switch to renewable energy”
James Robertson – Liberal Democrats
St Albans Liberal Democrats had not responded at the time of publication.
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