From a political family, I've followed elections since the sixties. You always hear "I voted for X party all my life but never again!" statements, but I cannot remember an election in my lifetime where I heard so many voters saying how they have absolutely no confidence in the main parties. I've seen the debate here about the right to vote or not to, and why people are making that choice.  My standing again is about continuing to give local voters a choice; party activists or a community activist. I simply ask the disenchanted to add their vote to the 466 people who voted for me in 2014 as an individual offering a community focused representation rather than one just making up party numbers to grab power.

Most parties have some good councillors, I respect those who identify a local issue and set about resolving it by getting key people around a table (regardless of politics) and persisting with co-operative based solutions. Sadly such councillors are few, but that would be my approach as an Independent councillor.

I am a candidate in Luddendenfoot Ward and live in Mytholmroyd. I've worked in the NHS and in education and now work part time as a freelance University teacher. I love the area and the countryside and can often be seen walking with my two rescue dogs.
I believe in fairness for all and am strongly opposed to the way the main parties want to make ordinary people suffer.

As Luddendenfoot Ward Councillor, my main priorities would be to:

• Fight the austerity measures proposed by the other parties and campaign for improved services for those who need them.
• Campaign for more protection of the local environment with increased investment in energy conservation and renewable energy technology. I would also push for more work on flood prevention in terms of upland management and tree cover.
• To campaign for improved and integrated bus and rail services.

As a vegan I support the Green Party's animal protection policies which are streets ahead of those of the other parties and that's one of the reasons I joined the party. The other reason is its environmental policies:
'Humans have inflicted more damage on the planet in the last two hundred years than in the whole of the rest of human history. The Green Party is the only party to take this seriously.'

I've also been chosen to contest Hebden Royd Town Council's White Lee Ward for the Green Party. As a Green Party Town Councillor I will campaign to raise the profile of Mytholmroyd so that it takes an equal place alongside Hebden Bridge.

I will also fight to promote and improve the area by campaigning to improve local bus and rail transport and press for better parking for cars and bikes at Mytholmroyd station. Road safety is a problem in parts of Mytholmroyd and I will campaign strongly for better enforcement of the speed limits.

I believe that we need to improve the sustainability of local houses so that they are warmer and cost less to heat. We already grow some food in Mytholmroyd and I want to promote this and increase the amount that's grown and work towards a more local and sustainable economy.

I've worked in Mytholmroyd for 13 years. I first got involved in local politics three years ago when our local Sure Start nurseries came under threat from the Tories. Since then I have been almost continuously out on the doorstep throughout Luddendenfoot, Mytholmroyd, Midgley, and the surrounding area, meeting people and finding out what they need from their local council.

Despite working (almost) full time and being the mother of three small children, I devote all the hours I can to campaigning for the help and support that people in our area need, whether they are working parents and children, local businesses, elderly people, or the poorest in our community. In addition to the A&E and Sure Start campaigns, I have been active in local Labour-led initiatives such as the "20 is Plenty" campaign and "Ambition for Mytholmroyd" project.

Should I be elected, my priorities are:

1. To continue the fight to keep Halifax A&E open
2. To increase community activities by providing assistance in identifying funding and resources, and by developing more community activities for the benefit of residents and to attract greater numbers of visitors
3. To restart the local business network, encouraging businesses to share skills, employ locally and reduce the cost of recruitment; and
4. To find better ways to support the growing number of elderly and isolated people living in Mytholmroyd, Luddendenfoot and the surrounding areas.

I ran for this seat last year, losing to the Tories by 17 votes. This meant we couldn't carry out our plans for the community and also delivered the Tories control of Calderdale Council overall. I am running again because I believe the poor and the vulnerable in our community need our support, and I know how just a few votes can make the difference they need.