Candidates in by-election for Grantham Barrowby ward seat at Lincolnshire County Council

A by-election for the Lincolnshire County Council seat for Grantham Barrowby ward is taking place after former councillor Jo Churchill became MP in Bury St Edmunds.

The Journal spoke to each of the candidates ahead of the vote on July 2.

* Conservative Mark Whittington is a Barrowby Parish councillor with experience working in local government and NHS finance. He highlights that he is the only candidate that lives in the contested area, and that his upbringing in a Grantham council house gives him first-hand experience of issues affecting council and social housing tenants.

He says he will fight to keep services at Grantham Hospital, ensure high education standards are maintained, work with SKDC to introduce 1 to 2 hours free parking in Grantham car parks, and work with the police and other agencies to tackle anti-social behaviour. He wants to help forward the Grantham BID, the creation of the relief road, and ensure frontline adult and children’s services are protected.

* Mike Williams is standing for the Lincolnshire Independents.

He spent nine years as a Lincolnshire County Councillor for the Grantham South and Harrowby ward, and 14 years on SKDC for Harrowby. He also served as Mayor of Grantham twice.

He has previously fought to protect services at Grantham Hospital, and wants to find greater opportunities for young people in the area.

* Labour’s Rob Shorrock, formerly an Earlesfield SKDC councillor for seven years, wants to represent residents at county level to address matters including education, employment and traffic safety.

He says road quality needs to be improved, and speeding through Barrowby village stopped.

He is also concerned about cuts to family support services like Home-Start.

* Maureen Simon is standing for the UK Independence Party. She has lived in Grantham for about 25 years, ten of these in the contested area. In the past she has helped to run children’s clubs in both Earlsfield and Barrowby and has listened to the concerns put forward by parents and friends. Problems brought to her attention are the condition of the roads, parking and traffic congestion. Also high on her list of priorities are Grantham Hospital, shortage of school places, cuts to the Home-Start programme and lack of support for the police. She adds that she aims to bring a fresh, common sense approach to these and any other concerns she is made aware of in the local area.