I AM proud to be elected for the new Ward of Northwich – Witton which includes the whole of the town centre and Witton up to and including Malpas Road.

While I am humbled to get 62 per cent of the vote it is disappointing that just under a quarter of the electorate turned out to vote.

The Brexit mess and the frustration with MP’s was a factor but there has been a disconnect between the public and politicians for some time now and when I was first elected for Winnington and Castle in the 2014 by-election it was on a 19 per cent turnout.

What is clear from my doorstep conversations is that many residents are not clear about exactly what it is that Cheshire West and Chester and Northwich Town Council do in terms of the services they provide and what they focus on.

CWAC and NTC are not responsible for Brexit, HS2 or the crisis in the NHS but we work with very strained budgets to give our kids the best start in life and to look after an ever increasing number of vulnerable adults requiring social care.

I will endeavour to work with councillors of all political persuasions to listen to our public and attempt to heal this very dangerous fracture between politicians and voters.

There are big challenges ahead for our town but there are also many opportunities and I am sure all councillors will do all they can to ensure that our fantastic town thrives.

Councillor Sam Naylor

 Via email