Across West Northamptonshire, voters will elect 76 councillors in 35 different wards. More than 350 candidates are standing from ten political parties, as well as a number of independents. Find a full list of candidates here.
Chronicle & Echo has reached out the leaders of the parties to ask them about four topics that matter most to our readers.
Over the next few days we will be publishing a series of articles, detailing the responses we have received from some of the political parties competing for your votes on polling day on Thursday May 1.
First up is the hot topic of potholes and the state of our roads. We asked the leaders what their party intends to do to address the issue if they are elected.
We received responses from the Conservatives, the Green Party, the Heritage Party (which has one candidate standing in Dallington and Spencer), an Independent candidate, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.
Below are the responses from those parties regarding the issue of potholes and roads, in alphabetical order of party name.
Chronicle & Echo also contacted The Social Democratic Party and The Labour and Co-operative Party - who have candidates standing in West Northamptonshire - but we did not receive a response.
If any independent candidates would like to offer their response to this issue, please email [email protected].
5. Ian McCord - Independent
Independent candidate in the Deanshanger ward, Ian McCord, said: "To fix potholes – fix care. "This is a symptom of a bigger issue – the funding and way councils are funded. 65 pence in every pound is spent on Adults Care and Children’s Care. That has the first call on the cash. Both areas are approximately £10 million overspent for the year just ended March 31. When that happens all the other council services, including highways maintenance get raided to fund the shortfalls. To keep our roads in the current poor state at least £8 million a year more needs to be spent, to improve it needs to be more than that. We have a policy of the orderly management of decline. I proposed a £2 million increase which they refused before that. The other parties say, we will fix it, how? There is no plan. Those who say they will do this or that have never proposed an alternative budget to make it happen. That is why we as Independents will keep the main parties honest. Without fear or favour we will point out inconvenient facts, like a lot of pot hole repairs were on the route of the cycling race, or that the JCB machine is running at 50 percent of the capacity the manufactures say it is capable of. Where you have more than one vote, use one to vote independent to keep the party honest and work for you, not them." Photo: Submitted
6. Labour
Leader of the West Northamptonshire Labour party, Wendy Randall, said: "Our roads in West Northants are some of the worst in the country. We are all fed up with seeing temporary fixes to potholes. We are all fed up with seeing a pothole repaired but the pothole next to it left because it isn't bad enough yet. We are all fed up with seeing the contractor come back to the same road a month later as that pothole is now deep enough to be repaired. Hundreds of motorists are paying out for repairs on their vehicles due to the state of our roads. It’s not fair and shouldn’t be happening. If Labour takes control of WNC on May 1 my first priority would be to arrange a meeting with the contractor and go over the contract with them because I know that it can be better if time is managed. We will hold the contractor to account making them work efficiently and effectively." Photo: WNC
7. Liberal Democrats
Sally Beardsworth is leader of the Liberal Democrats in West Northamptonshire. The party said: "Liberal Democrats have unveiled a forward-looking strategy to tackle long-standing issues with road and pavement maintenance across West Northamptonshire. A key element of the plan is a new Pothole Priority Plan, aimed at ending temporary patching and moving instead towards the full replacement of deteriorated roads. Local knowledge will play a crucial role, with every Parish and Town Council invited to identify and report high-priority areas in need of attention. In addition Lib Dems want to see a fundamental shift in how pavement repairs are handled. Rather than patching over problems, the focus would be on permanent upgrades, particularly in areas of high footfall or where improved walkways could encourage more active lifestyles. Cyclist safety is also high on the agenda. Liberal Democrats propose that every road be assessed for its suitability and safety for cyclists, with this data factored into decisions about repair and replacement priorities. To ensure value for money and improved delivery, the roads maintenance contract would be placed under constant performance review, with regular public reporting to increase accountability. Residents could also expect greater transparency about where work is being done. Lib Dems would like to see all highway repairs logged and reported so people have a clear picture of how resources are being allocated. Finally, the plan embraces innovation. Liberal Democrats would explore the use of AI and vehicle-based monitoring systems to detect road damage more efficiently and respond more quickly to emerging issues. Liberal Democrats believe West Northamptonshire deserves roads and pavements that are built to last—not quick fixes that fail again and again." Photo: WNC
8. Reform UK
Mark Arnull is the chairman of Reform UK West Northamptonshire. The party said: "The number one issue reported to the Reform team on the doorstep is the “state of the roads.” Some of the roads in West Northamptonshire are in a dreadful state, not only risking damage to vehicles, but some pose a threat to the safety of motorists, road users and pedestrians. It was widely reported when our authority purchased a new JCB Pothole Pro to help combat the pothole problem across the unitary area. A Pothole Pro machine can repair a pothole four times quicker than standard methods and deliver up to 50 percent cut in daily costs. This is exactly the sort of technology that the council should be exploring further. It’s very upsetting when members of the public read in the press that our authority’s £184,000 purchase is operating at 50 percent capacity and the number of potholes still exist. West Northamptonshire Council allocates approximately £1 million annually to Kier Transportation for road maintenance under a seven-year contract that started in September 2022. To provide a little context, our council is currently £587 million in debt and spends £65,000 per day servicing its debt. Essentially, if the council had no debt interest bill, it would take just under 16 days to raise the money to double the budget for road maintenance. Reform UK will call in the auditors and make sure taxpayers are getting value for money. Instead of making local people pay for continued poor decision-making and substandard work, we would ensure that the officers, executives and contractors are held to account." Photo: Reform UK