The Conservatives are targeting more seats at the upcoming Cheshire West and Chester Council elections, with political control of the authority on a knife edge.
The borough goes to the polls on Thursday, May 4, where the council’s largest opposition group will be targeting gains. Cheshire West and Chester was run by the Conservatives from its creation in 2009 up until 2015 when Labour took the reins.
Since the last council election in 2019 it has been under no overall control but run by a minority Labour administration, which still retains the largest number of councillors with 33 to the Conservatives’ 28. The remaining nine seats on the council are taken up by independents, Liberal Democrats and Greens.
Among those running this year for the Conservatives are Simon Eardley. He will be aiming to retain the seat of Saughall and Mollington which he first won in 2019.
He said his priorities include tackling speeding, rubbish hot spots, fighting for a ‘fair share’ of council resources for local villages and campaigning to protect the green belt.
In Northwich Winnington and Castle, Max Hills and Olivia Newey will be hoping for a successful outcome to their campaigns.
Mr Hills, said: “Having grown up in Northwich, I’ve witnessed the changes our area has gone through over the last decade.
“I believe it’s important to support the community in which you live, and so I am delighted to be running for the position of borough councillor.
“Over the last year I have been talking to residents on the doorstep to get a deep understanding of our shared priorities. If elected I will fight for a fairer deal for Winnington and Castle.”
Steven Hesketh is one of Conservative candidates for Upton-by-Chester Ward. A local entrepreneur working in hospitality, after growing up in Australia he has lived over here for more than 20 years. He said he wants to see ‘common sense’ at the heart of politics and local government and believes councils should be 'transparent in expenditure and decision making'.
Steve Wastell, a retired pharmacist and former mayor of Neston, is the Conservative candidate for Little Neston and will be hoping to unseat current council leader, Labour's Louise Gittins.
If elected, he said he will prioritise securing more investment in the area, including to repair roads and pavements. He added that he will also vote to scrap green bin charges.
At this year’s elections, depending on their ward, residents will be able to choose from Labour, Conservative, Green, Liberal Democrat, Reform UK, Trade Unionist and Socialist, Alliance for Democracy and Freedom, as well as a number of independent candidates.
A full list of candidates can be found here.
This year, anyone wishing to vote will have to take photo ID. A list of acceptable ID can be found here.
Anyone without any of the above have until April 25 to apply for a voter authority certificate. Further information can be found here.
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