A FORMER Crewe and Nantwich Council leader is to fight a by-election under the banner of a new political party.

Brian Silvester says he will be contesting by-elections for the Crewe West wards on Cheshire East Council and Crewe Town Council for Putting Crewe First, Independent Residents Group.

The by-elections are due to be held in May next year after the wards fell vacant following the death of Labour councillor Brian Roberts in February.

Mr Silvester has a long history of council service in South Cheshire; he was a councillor on Cheshire East Council from its formation in 2008 to 2015, serving as a Cabinet Member and he was also a deputy leader of the Conservative group.

Before that he was Mayor of the former Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council.

Currently a councillor on Minshull Vernon Parish Council, he said: "Crewe West has always had Labour councillors and a Tory MP for 10 of the last 12 years.

"But both Labour and the Tories have totally failed the residents of Crewe West.

"It is time Crewe had Councillors who put Crewe first and not their party. Crewe has sadly gone down hill fast in recent years. Voting for the same old parties, who brought about that decline, will not change anything - it is time for a fresh start."

Putting Crewe First, Independent Residents Group is a new party registered with the Electoral Commission.