VOTERS in Crewe will be casting their votes next Thursday (May 6) for two vacant council seats in the town as well as selecting a Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.

The Crewe West seat on Cheshire East Council, vacant since the death of Labour councillor Brian Roberts last year, has attracted some new and familiar faces to the hustings.

Labour's Connor Naismith is seeking to replace Mr Roberts, who was elected alongside fellow Labour member Marilyn Houston in the 2019 polls. Conservative candidate Teja Vaddala may have his work cut out overturning the 62 per cent combined Labour vote of two years ago.

Then, the Tory share of the poll was 24 per cent, but both Patrick Timms and Martin Clynes fell short of being elected to the two vacancies.

Independent Roy Cartlidge seized nearly 14 per cent of the vote and the former Labour councillor could have a part to play again this year as his nomination is in too.

Joining them are former Cheshire East deputy leader Brian Silvester (Putting Crewe First), Melanie English (Green Party), Paul Weaver (Liberal Democrats) and Chris McGrane (Workers Party of Britain), which makes seven candidates in all.

Polling was postponed last May because of the pandemic, but Crewe West is the only by-election taking place at the borough council next week.

There are, though, 11 town and parish council elections, one of which is the West ward on Crewe Town Council, which was also held by Mr Roberts, and at Haslington Parish Council where three seats are up for grabs.

Nub News has asked the candidates for Cheshire East's Crewe West ward to outline their manifesto pledges and what they want to achieve during their tenure.

Connor Naismith (Labour)

The Labour candidate says regeneration of Flag Lane Baths is among his priorities. Connor says he wants to give residents a voice in the town centre's regeneration plans and he is backing "fairer parking" for Crewe, while he says he wants to keep communities safe and tackle fly-tipping.

He said: "I am standing for election this May asking residents to judge me by what I do and not just what I say.

"That's why I have spent my time in the previous months (when not in lockdown) getting out reporting roads and fly-tipping issues as well as meeting with key local groups and organisations to see how I can work with them as a candidate and hopefully as a councillor to improve the place where residents live and work.

"I hope residents feel able to lend me their vote this May."

Teja Vaddala (Conservative)

Conservative candidate Teja talks about change for Crewe, and says: "It's time to give somebody else a chance to be a champion for Crewe."

He adds: "As a Crewe resident I want to see things improve for our town. I know many people have voted for Labour in Crewe for a long time. Labour have represented Crewe for decades, but I think we need change and to give other people a chance to actually deliver results for people living in Crewe.

"Many people voted for a Conservative MP and a Conservative government for the first time at the last election. I think we have delivered. We got Brexit done. We are steering the country through the coronavirus crisis and delivering one of the best the vaccine programmes in the world and delivering on promises on extra police officers.

"I think we can deliver for Crewe locally as well. I am concentrating on the day-to-day things that

matter like pot holes, fly-tipping, car parking charges, anti-social behaviour and dog mess. Labour have raised our council tax by the maximum allowed, 4.99 per cent, and we need to see something for that."

Paul Weaver (Liberal Democrats)

Paul wants to fight potential increases in funeral charges. In recent years there have been some substantial increases, which families are finding hard to meet and the Liberal Democrats do not believe that Cheshire East should be increasing prices.

The Liberal Democrats said: "Paul is working hard to stop the closing of household tips in the region, as Pyms Lane is becoming more utilised as the area grows.

"When the council was under Conservative control, they wanted everyone this side of Macclesfield to drive through to Crewe to recycle. Already we've seen and experienced tailbacks of vehicles on Middlewich road trying to access the site.

"He is also campaigning for Crewe to secure the funding for infrastructure to ensure the town and the surrounding areas benefits from HS2 rather than suffer."

Brian Silvester (Putting Crewe First)

Brian has pledged to cut town centre car parking charges in half.

He says among his priorities are "no real" council tax increases, eliminating waste and reviving Crewe by restricting future planning permissions for retail outside the town centre.

Mr Silvester added: "We would encourage businesses to set up in Crewe to provide much needed well-paid jobs; restore the very many damaged grass verges or turn them into hard standing to provide more off street parking, maintain our streets and footpaths and ensure potholes are repaired speedily; eliminate grot spots and eyesores and ensure Crewe residents are given priority in the allocation of rented social housing."

Roy Cartlidge (Independent)

Roy who is standing as an Independent candidate lists environmental concerns among his pledges.

He said: "As someone who lives in the Crewe West ward, my campaign will be fought on what l believe are important local issues.

"For example, my pledge to local, residents will be to make a ward assessment of its assets and a list of improvements which will enhance the area.

"I would endeavour to ensure that the town is clean, tidy, and fit for purpose through better street scene care services.

"I would also strive to ensure that the streets in both the ward and the town itself are safe places for everyone, regardless of gender, creed, or nationality.

"l will bring to the council issues that need addressing without the involvement of party politics, for l am a true Independent who will always put the electorate first."

Melanie English (Green Party)

Melanie - who is a self-employed Doula providing support to families from pregnancy into parenthood - says her emphasis is on "health, prosperity, and sustainability of the town where I live, parent, and work".

She said: "It is encouraging that the Crewe Town Board are pursuing national funding to revitalise our town centre, but I would push to ensure that the centre is not just a carbon copy of other town centres and High Streets around us.

"We need local, independent, and environmentally conscious businesses trading within a physically accessible town supported by an affordable and widespread public transport system.

"As a parent I am also passionate about investing in and protecting services in Crewe that support the first 1001 days of a child's life. I witness first-hand that this investment improves the health and wellbeing of all families in the longer term.

"Crewe West needs a new local Children's Centre which is easily accessible for all residents.

"Crewe has a strong social heart, but our community does not benefit from an adequate level of investment and interest from the borough council. I aim to change that."

Chris McGrane (Workers Party of Britain)

Chris says he will work in the community to rebuild industry and infrastructure and protect local businesses, jobs, services and our natural environment.

He says his party has made a pledge not to increase council tax until local authorities have secured a Corona Tax of five per cent on the wealth of those individuals with fortunes in excess of £10 million.

"I want decent, affordable, secure housing for all, as well as the protection of social housing stock, protection of local healthcare services, free school meals for all children and free travel for children on buses throughout Britain," he said.

• Crewe West includes an area stretching from Victoria Avenue/Wistaston Road down to Dane Bank Avenue, incorporating streets and roads around Cheshire College South and West and St. Thomas More High School, such as Gainsborough Road, Stewart Street and parts of Valley Road, Kinsgway and Somerville Street.

• There are four candidates vying for the Police and Crime Commissioner role, which is a county-wide poll. They are John Dwyer (Conservative), who served in the role between 2012 and 2016, David Keane (Labour), who is seeking re-election, Jo Conchie (Lib. Dem) and Nick Goulding (Reform UK).