Lib Dems and Greens reach agreement ahead of Kent County Council elections

Folkestone and Hythe Liberal Democrats and the Shepway Green Party have agreed not to stand against each other in the six Folkestone and Hythe seats being fought in May's Kent County Council elections.

Shepway Green Party will not stand against Lib Dem candidate Tim Prater in Cheriton, Sandgate & Hythe East, where he came second in 2017 and was the clear challenger to the Conservatives.

Georgina Treloar will not face a Lib Dem opponent in Hythe West, where she has been selected to replace Martin Whybrow as the Green candidate.

Folkestone and Hythe Lib Dem Group Leader Tim Prater said:

"In 2019 the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats took a leap of faith and stood aside candidates for each other across the district of Folkestone and Hythe. We didn't want to split the vote and see the Conservatives win. Across Hythe and Sandgate it worked really well, with the Conservatives losing every single seat in Hythe West, Hythe and Sandgate and West Folkestone.

"Since May 2021, the Green Party and Liberal Democrats have worked well together on the District Council. We don't always agree - but often. And although we differ at times, we work together well and treat each other with respect - a more grown-up politics that our area needs.

"So we're doing to same thing again in 2021 for the County Council elections. We want to see less Conservatives, and more Liberal Democrats and Greens, on Kent County Council. It would make our County better. And by not standing against each other we maximise the chances of making that happen here in Folkestone and Hythe."

The Liberal Democrats will be fielding candidates in three divisions of Folkestone East, Folkestone West and Cheriton, Sandgate and Hythe East. The Green Party will be fielding candidates in Hythe West, Romney Marsh and Elham Valley divisions.

in Cheriton, Sandgate and Hythe East, Tim Prater will stand for the Liberal Democrats. In the 2017 County Council elections in the same division, Tim came a clear second to the Conservatives.

In the 2019 District Elections, Tim took the formerly safe Conservative seat of Sandgate & West Folkestone (which is a large part of the division) with 55% of the vote.

Tim has lived and worked in Sandgate since 2004. He is an experienced Councillor and campaigner, having served at different times on Kent County Council, Folkestone and Hythe (and before that Shepway) District Council, Folkestone and Hythe Town Councils and Sandgate Parish Council.

Harry Scott-Sansom has been selected for Folkestone East division. Harry lives in Wear Bay Crescent in Folkestone East, is 24 and newly engaged to Chelsea.

Harry works as a Finance Manager and enjoys video games, cycling and darts in his spare time (COVID-19 permitting). If elected to Kent County Council, Harry is particularly keen to campaign to join up services to make sure no-one sleeps rough locally, improve community mental health support, and push for new ecological preservation policies.

Alison Pemberton will stand for Folkestone West division. Alison is 68 and has been married to Brian for 46 years and is a mum and a grandma.

Now retired, Alison has had two careers - one in local journalism and the other in the public sector, dealing with communications and media enquiries for the county council and later for the NHS.

If elected to Kent County Council, Alison is particularly keen to stand up for local people in relation to the M20, fair funding for social care and equal education opportunities for all children.