Could You Be a Liberal Democrat Kent County Councillor?

The next elections to Kent County Council (KCC) will take place in May 2017, and Shepway Liberal Democrats are starting the process of selecting their candidates for those elections in the next few weeks.

To commence the process, the Shepway Lib Dems are inviting initial 'Expressions of Interest' from those interested in standing as candidates for the 2017 KCC elections by 13th March 2016.

There are six County Council Divisions covering the Shepway District Council area: Cheriton, Sandgate & Hythe East, Elham Valley, Folkestone East, Folkestone West, Hythe West and Romney Marsh. The divisions and boundaries have recently been redrawn and the new Kent County Council division boundaries for Shepway are available on the Boundary Commission website.

Former Folkestone West Kent County Councillor Tim Prater says:

"Being a Kent County Councillor was a great experience. As a Council it deals with some of the really big services - Highways, Education, Social Care - and has a massive over £2 billion annual budget.

"When I was on Kent County Council the Lib Dems were the official opposition to the Conservatives, and much of my time was spent holding the Conservatives to account and scrutinsing decisions and budgets and making it clear where these were not to the benefit of Kent residents. Although there is a comparatively high allowance for Kent County Councillors of around £13,000 a year, meetings take part during the working day and mainly in Maidstone, which makes it hard for those with an inflexible full time job."

To express an interest in campaigning and standing for the Liberal Democrats in a division for the Kent County Council elections in May 2017, in the first instance email Local Party Chair Val Loseby at val@shepwaylibdems.org.uk or call 01797 369 457. Val will then outline the application and selection process.