We asked each party why you should vote for them in Harborough district elections – here are their replies

Voters in the Harborough district will be going to the polling stations on Thursday May 4 for the local elections.

All of Harborough District Council's 34 seats will go to the ballot box, with representatives standing for the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Greens, Labour and Co-operative Party, Independent and Reform UK.

Here are the list of how many people will be standing for each party: Conservatives: 31, Lib Dems: 34, Greens: 30, Labour: 25, Independent: 2, Labour and Co-operative: 1.

To download the full list of candidates, click here.

We asked each party to write a piece on why people should vote for them - and here are their submissions (in alphabetical order):

Conservatives

These elections are crucial in determining how your local services are delivered by the council across the over 230 square miles, 90 settlements, for the 98,000 residents of the Harborough district. As local Conservatives we have a strongly positive track record of delivery across the district, and we hope you will consider voting for us, to ensure this work can continue. This has included: keeping tax low: Since 2011, district share of tax has only risen by less than £10 (Band D equivalent); freezing Council Tax: for 2023/24 district share of council tax was frozen; investing in communities: over £1m per year towards improving facilities like village halls and parks; supporting businesses: quickly delivered millions of pounds of Covid 19 business support to help save jobs.

But we’re not resting on our laurels and have ambitious plans for the next four years, including: continue to make our district safer by installing more CCTV at suitable locations and working closely with the police and partners to invest in further measures to reduce fear of crime and anti-social behaviour, investing in our communities and businesses, securing funding to help deliver our town centre masterplans, and to improve major village centres such as Broughton Astley, Kibworths, Fleckney and Great Glen. Supporting our environment by continuing to take action and investing several million to make Harborough district cleaner and greener; by installing more EV charging points, supporting Green Car clubs, reducing fly-tipping, litter and dog-fouling and making grants available for community action on climate change.

As local residents ourselves, we understand the importance of these services across the Harborough district and hope you can provide your support to ensure this work continues. We feel passionately about Harborough district and providing the best for everyone who lives, or works here. With your support and backing, we look forward to working with residents, parish councils and our MPs to help drive further improvements.

Green Party

A vote for the Green party in these local elections is a vote for a voice free to speak up for you in the council chambers. As a party we do not tell our councillors what to do or say and believe in collaborative working to deliver better outcomes for our communities, so our councillors are free to work with whoever, whenever to deliver for our community. As a party we are not just about the environment but also social justice and common sense policies where Sustainability is at the core of every decision made. People, Place and Prospects. It is only by considering all three aspects that we can have an economy fit for the 21st century. Many of us think that our voices are not being heard locally with housing developers being allowed to ride roughshod over the needs of communities and the environment and this has got to stop. Our aim is to help the council to become more responsive to our community’s needs. As part of this we would push for the council to The Green Party’s Right Homes, Right Place, Right Price Charter which will simultaneously protect valuable green space for communities, reduce climate emissions, tackle fuel poverty, and provide genuinely affordable housing with greater protections for renters If you want councillors who are embedded in your community, working hard all year round to help support residents through the cost of living crisis, fighting for better and more affordable public services and transport provision, tackling the root causes of anti-social behaviour and fighting to bring better democracy to our council then Vote Green on May 4.

Labour

I would urge all residents to vote Labour, for councillors who will stand up and speak up for the interests of the residents in their ward, ensuring their voice is heard when decisions are being made. It has been a privilege for me to represent my ward of Lutterworth West for the last four years and I very much hope I can do so for another four years. It has at times been frustrating to try to achieve the best for my residents, only to be thwarted by the controlling group of Conservatives, who seem to pay scant regard for what is best for local residents and seem more interested in hoarding power. For far too long, Harborough District Council has been controlled by the Conservatives in this way. Under the Tories, hard working people across Britain are worse off, paying more council tax for poor public services. Things can be better, and we deserve better. That is why it is vital we elect more Labour councillors in the May local elections. By voting Labour, you are choosing councillors who believe that all parts of the district should receive fair funding from Harborough, who believe that we can and must do better in tackling the challenges presented by the climate emergency and will work hard to create a cleaner and better district, who will fight for improvements to local services, who will work with others to achieve the best outcomes for our towns and villages, and who will be a stronger voice for our community. For stronger representation to take on local issues and to deliver a fairer, greener future, please vote Labour.

Liberal Democrats

The contest at Harborough District Council is simply put. A two horse race between the controlling Conservatives and the opposition Liberal Democrats who are the only party contesting all 34 of the council seats. The numbers are simple. If the Conservatives have a five seat net loss they see their control of Harborough District Council lost and national public anger is adding a very interesting twist. The vote on May 4 won’t change who has the keys to Downing Street but a protest opportunity is certain to be grabbed by many to send the message that enough is enough. Cost of living crisis. Lengthy waiting times for ambulances, hospital transfers and the issues around getting doctors appointments. Struggles to find an NHS dentist , frightening food bank usages and so much more. Then of course there are local issues. Rows of empty service desks at the council HQ currently greet visitors to the building. Residents are complaining about unanswered phones or answer machines kicking in when they telephone the council. Huge questions exist over a District Leisure Strategy and just when the big concerns over leisure provision will be answered. All of this needs to be addressed and we will do just that. The Conservatives scrapped the environmental working group. The Liberal Democrats will give environmental and climate issues the priority they deserve and need. From the need to think again about how the responsibilities for green spaces are managed to the important matter of planning enforcement are issues that need to be and must be addressed. The public expect that planning conditions will be adhered to and the Liberal Democrats will make sure the funds are in the budget to have officer posts to accommodate the need. May 4 is a vote to secure a listening, forward facing and customer servicing council within a sound financial structure. That is the Liberal Democrat aim.