Wash Commoners will be taking to the polls to decide who will be representing them on Newbury Town Council.
The upcoming election will take place next Thursday (March 14) and there are four candidates battling it out for a single vacant seat on the council.
The vacant seat was left after Liberal Democrat councillor Jayne French-Drayton stood down.
Meet the four candidates below.
Archna Datta, Conservative
Miss Datta, who has lived and worked in Newbury since 2021, described herself as a “dedicated and compassionate” pharmacist with over a decade of experience working in both the public and private sectors.
She has a Masters of Pharmacy (MPharm) degree from University College London and has spent several years training to become a lead clinical pharmacist, a role she says she is truly passionate about.
If elected, she is “committed to ensuring we preserve our beautiful green spaces” so that Newbury continues to be “an idyllic, safe and clean place for our residents to live”.
She also promised to lobby West Berkshire Council on the localised issues of the refurbishment of classrooms at Falkland Primary School and its road maintenance programme.
Miss Datta said: “I entered into local government recently and I consider myself to be the fresh face of Conservatism through an understanding of the challenges faced by society today, especially for younger generations.
“I embody Conservative values from their very core as I believe in opportunities founded through perseverance and also offer caring support for those in need.”
Emily Hayes, Liberal Democrat
Miss Hayes has lived in and around Newbury for her entire life and she currently lives in the Newbury Central ward.
If elected she hopes to “continue the good work of the Lib Dems” who currently sit on Newbury Town Council.
She also said that she was looking forward to collaborating with Green Party councillors if she was victorious in the upcoming election.
Miss Hayes added: “The Lib Dems have invested in improving the quality of the play equipment and repairing it due to acts of vandalism.
“That is still ongoing, but the main thing for me is to give everyone in the community a voice and to make sure everyone is heard.”
Simon Kirby, Independent
Mr Kirby, who has lived in the area for 30 years, is standing as an independent candidate in the upcoming election because he believes that the Wash Common community is not being well served by national political parties running Newbury Town Council.
He was critical of the council and stated that it is “not doing a good job delivering the basics”, referring to the maintenance of the Wash Common Recreation Ground, something he views is not being done well enough.
If elected he hopes to challenge the spending priorities of the council, diverting money away from its planning committee, ceremonial mayoralty and other civic functions towards its public services, such as the management of green spaces around Newbury.
Mr Kirby said: “I don't answer to party grandees and I don't want to sit on the council so I can talk about other people's planning applications or have a go being mayor.
“I want a town council that listens to the community and which applies itself without distraction to the job of delivering its small range of modest parish services efficiently and effectively.”
Graham Storey, Green
Mr Storey is a local businessman who has lived in Wash Common for over 20 years.
He has led West Berkshire Green Party’s campaign for more social housing as well as being the group’s local election agent.
If elected, Mr Storey has pledged to listen to the views of local residents, get better value for money from your council tax and make local residents’ voices heard on the redevelopment of the town centre and the Sandleford developments.
Mr Storey said: “The costly saga of the Victoria Park cafe shows how the Liberal Democrats have not always acted to spend our council tax wisely.
“If elected I would join two other Green Party councillors as the only opposition who will scrutinise and challenge spending plans, to get better value for the residents of Wash Common and Newbury.
“Newbury needs committed councillors. To see a number of the Liberal Democrats councillors elected last May quitting so soon is disappointing to say the least.
“I raised my family here and I am keen to see today’s young families enjoy the same levels of public services, amenities and support that we enjoyed over many years.”
