Independent councillor aims to win Rutland County Council seat

An experienced councillor who served for two decades on a Yorkshire authority is hoping to bring his political skills to Rutland County Council.

Andy Burton, who has lived in Barleythorpe for the past 18 months, is one of four candidates nominated in the upcoming ward by-election.

Standing as an independent - he left the Conservative party a couple of years ago due to national issues - he says that, having lived in the area and become an active part of the community, he is well placed to know what needs to be done.

He was a Tory councillor on East Riding Council for 20 years, serving in the cabinet. A former agronomist - a specialist in crop production - he has a masters degree in politics. He is also a councillor on Barleythorpe Parish Council.

He says: “I am well abreast of lots of the issues that we have in Barleythorpe. I founded a flood resilience group when I moved here. I am very concerned about the flooding issues affecting properties along the Brook running through the estate and have had many discussions with our MP, the chief executive of the county council, highways, planning and the environment agency to try and broker a solution to the flooding problems in Barleythorpe.

“I will be better placed to get these and other issues dealt with if I am elected. I’m standing as an independent as I believe that I can better help by community without having to follow party dogma.’”

Other candidates are Andrew Dinsmore, Conservative; Declan McCarthy of Reform UK and Jonathan Nichols for the Liberal Democrats.

The election is taking place on Thursday, July 24, with the counting of the results happening the next day.

The authority is run by the Liberal Democrats.