The Liberal Democrats seek your vote in Cheshire East

At present the Lib Dems are the national party with the fewest councillors on the borough council, with just four, and will be hoping to boost that number this time round.

Here Suzy Firkin, vice chair of Congleton Constituency Liberal Democrats, says why she believes you should vote for the Lib Dems in Cheshire East.

"The local elections are the time to choose from candidates who live and work close by, know their areas and want to do good for the communities they love.

"Liberal Democrats are already doing great things in the heart of those communities. Lib Dem councils are renowned for being financially stable with focus on real community issues such as public amenities, public transport, sustainability and ensuring a fair society for all.

"From solving traffic and parking issues to air and water pollution, boosting biodiversity and protecting our green spaces, these are key Lib Dem policies and as your councillors we will fight every suggestion to build on land that should be protected.

"We are still affected by the period when the Conservatives ran Cheshire East. Planning decisions have a long life, and some that overrode local opinion are still affecting us: over development with new housing, built on flood plains and closed rubbish tips.

"Most Conservatives are distancing themselves from that time – and from central government – but their complicity in previous poor decisions will not be forgotten.

"The so-called 'Independents group' include some good people but it is hard to grasp what they stand for - they have a confusing track record at Cheshire East.

"Ask about parking charges, gritting routes and household waste disposal sites. The current administration is led by Labour and the Independents and perhaps this is why we have such conflicting decisions as promoting a green agenda but closing recycling centres.

"Liberal Democrats everywhere stand for protection of our environment, safer, greener communities and better public amenities.

"The last word should go to residents who tell us that they will vote Lib Dem because: it is clear what we stand for; we have sensible policies; we are realistic; and we aren’t promising things we can’t deliver."

Residents voting at polling stations must take photo ID.

The 254 candidates standing for Cheshire East Council on Thursday, May 4 are:

Alderley  Edge:  Emma Boxer (Green Party);  Craig Browne (Alderley Edge First);  Carl Curran (Conservative).

Alsager: Brian Drake (Labour); Rod Fletcher (Liberal Democrats); Reg Kain (Liberal Democrats); Richard McCarthy (Green Party); Hilary Robinson (Green Party); Michael Unett (Labour); Wendy Whittaker-Large (Conservative); Sam Worthington (Conservative).

Audlem: Rachel Bailey (Conservative); John Phillips (Liberal Democrats).

Bollington: Jennifer Allen (Green Party); Liam Bergin (Green Party); Ken Edwards (Labour); Johanna Maitland (Liberal Democrats); James Nicholas (Bollington First); John Place (Labour); Amanda Stott (Bollington First); Jon Weston (Conservative); John Withers (Conservative).

Brereton Rural: Robert Douglas (Liberal Democrats); Mark Mitchell (Labour); John Wray, (Conservative).

Broken Cross and Upton: Uche John (Conservative); Gareth Jones (Conservative); Judy Snowball (Labour); Rob Vernon (Labour).

Bunbury: Jonathan Bill (Liberal Democrats); Rebecca Posnett (Conservative).

Chelford: Anthony Harrison (Conservative); Maureen Harrop (Independent); Nick Speakman (Green Party); Nicola Standitch (Liberal Democrats).

Congleton East  Martin Amies (Independent); Dave Brown (Conservative); Paul Duffy (Liberal Democrats); Sally Holland (Conservative); Lisa Miller (Green Party); Rob Moreton (Independent); Denis Murphy (Liberal Democrats); Heather Pearce (Independent); Sarah Russell (Labour); Kay Wesley (Women's Equality Party); Glen Williams (Conservative).

Congleton West: Suzie Akers Smith (Independent); Mark Edwardson (Independent); Suzy Firkin (Liberal Democrats); Emma Hall (Conservative); George Hayes (Conservative);  Robert Hemsley (Liberal Democrats); Mark Hill (Independent); Amanda Martin (Conservative); Heather Seddon (Labour); Olga Whitmore (Green Party).

Crewe Central:  Anthony Critchley (Labour);  Ireneusz Kryczka (Putting Crewe First); Christopher Waling (Conservative); Matthew Wood (Reform UK).

Crewe East: Jackie Barthelmes (Putting Crewe First); Jonathan Bebbington (Conservative); Martin Edwards (Labour); Helen Elliott (Putting Crewe First); Melanie English (Green Party); Hazel Faddes (Labour); Richard Ford (Putting Crewe First); Carol Groves (Conservative); Peter Hargreaves (Conservative); Ian Mumford (Green Party); Jill Rhodes (Labour); Gareth Woods (Green Party).

Crewe North: Joy Bratherton (Labour);  Daniel Hill (Conservative); Brian Silvester (Putting Crewe First).

Crewe South: Adam Boulton-Rawlinson (Conservative); Dawn Clark (Labour); Tom Maguire  , (Putting Crewe First); Ryan Moore (Conservative); Toni Mortimer (Putting Crewe First); Laura Smith (Labour).

Crewe St Barnabas: Sally Handley (Labour); Geoff Palin (Putting Crewe First); James Pratt (Conservative).

Crewe West: Daniel Bull (Conservative); Marilyn Houston (Labour); Stephen Macallan (Putting Crewe First); Connor Naismith (Labour); Craig Porter (Putting Crewe First); Jacquie Weatherill (Conservative).

Dane Valley: Russell Chadwick (Conservative); Robert Green (Green Party); Craig Hynes (Labour); Andrew Kolker (Conservative); Diane Tams (Liberal Democrats); Martin Wood (Green Party).

Disley:  Sue Adams (Conservative); Neil Carter (Labour);  Paul Moss (Independent).

Gawsworth: Sam Hale (Labour); Eleanor Hall (Liberal Democrats); Lesley Smetham (Conservative); Andrew Wheatstone (Green Party).

Handforth: James Earl (Liberal Democrats); Simon Hutchence (Conservative); Ribia Nisa (Labour); Matthew Robertson (Conservative); John Smith (Independent); Julie Smith (Independent).

Haslington: Te Browne (Green Party);  Steven Edgar (Conservative); Alison Heler (Conservative); Jamie Messent (Labour); Simon Richards (Labour).

High Legh: Christopher Fortune (Liberal Democrats); Kate Parkinson (Conservative); Andy Sheik El Wright’O (Official Monster Raving Loony Party).

Knutsford: Sue Addison (Labour); Adrian Cardwell (Liberal Democrats); Peter Coan (Conservative); Tony Dean (Conservative); Stewart Gardiner (Conservative); Kevin Harkin (Labour); Amanda Iremonger (Green Party); April Johnson (Independent); Rex Mears (Independent).

Leighton: Clair Chapman (Labour); Teja Vaddala (Conservative); Jim Weir (Independent).

Macclesfield Central: Jessica Beaumont (Conservative); Liz Braithwaite (Labour); Stephen Broadhead (Liberal Democrats); Ashley Farrall (Labour); John Knight (Green Party); Abhishika Srivastav (Conservative).

Macclesfield East: Terry Bell (Labour); Lindy Brett (Green); Christopher Lovell (Liberal Democrats); Nicholas Taylor (Conservative); Mick Warren (Independent).

Macclesfield Hurdsfield: Sarah Bennett-Wake (Labour); Steve Broadhurst (Liberal Democrats); Barrie Malpas (Conservative).

Macclesfield South: Joyce Beasley (Conservative); David Dooley (Conservative); Eddie Murphy (Independent); Andy Oldfield (Independent); John Peckham (Green Party); Brian Puddicombe, (Labour); Fiona Wilson (Labour).

Macclesfield Tytherington: John Bowden (Labour); Beverley Dooley (Conservative); David Edwardes (Tytherington Ward Independents); Emma Gilman (Tytherington Ward Independents); Walter Houston (Green Party); John Le Moignan (Conservative); David Mayers (Green Party).

Macclesfield West & Ivy: Mary Brooks (Labour); Nick Mannion (Labour); Rajeev Rajan (Conservative); Timothy Swatridge (Conservative).

Middlewich: John Bird (Independent); Robert Brittain (Conservative); Carol Bulman (Labour); Paul Edwards (Conservative); David Harrop (Conservative); Michael Hunter (Labour); Cerys Jones (Green Party);  Garnet Marshall (Independent); Jonathan Parry (Labour).

Mobberley: Kevin Boyle (Liberal Democrats); Hannah Moss (Conservative); Paul Thomson (Labour).

Nantwich North & West: Stuart Bostock (Independent); Anna Burton (Labour); Kim Heyes (Green Party); Vicky Higham (Conservative); Tom Levins (Green Party); Arthur Moran (Independent); John Statham (Conservative).

Nantwich South & Stapeley: Peter Groves (Conservative); Andrew Martin (Conservative); John Priest (Labour); Geoffrey Smith (Labour).

Odd Rode: Ursula Griffiths (Labour); Gareth Lindop (Labour); Patrick Redstone (Conservative); Liz Wardlaw (Conservative).

Poynton East & Pott Shrigley: James Booth (Green Party); Sarah Marshall (Labour); Tim O'Rourke (Social Democratic Party);  Jos Saunders (Conservative); Geoff Thompson (Labour); Hayley Whitaker (Conservative).

Poynton West & Adlington: Michael Beanland (Conservative); Kathy Booth (Green Party); Amy House (Labour); Tony Penny (Labour); Mike Sewart (Conservative).

Prestbury: Thelma Jackson (Conservative); Stuart Redgard (Independent).

Sandbach Elworth: Callum Chalmers (Liberal Democrats); Nicola Cook (Independent); Kathryn Flavell (Labour);  Arabella Holland (Conservative).

Sandbach Ettiley Heath & Wheelock: Laura Crane (Labour): Martin Deakin (Conservative); Michelle Hough (Liberal Democrats); Patricia Lloyd (Green Party).

Sandbach Heath & East: Sam Corcoran (Labour); Peter Kent (Green Party); Dave Poole (Independent); Tim Wheatcroft (Conservative).

Sandbach Town: John Arnold (Labour); Artie Chalmers (Liberal Democrats); Mike Muldoon (Conservative); Hope Voyce (Green Party).

Shavington: Linda Buchanan (Labour); David Marren (Independent); Claire Wain     (Conservative).

Sutton: Laura Jones (Green Party); Steve Kay (Labour); Chris O'Leary (Conservative); Trevor Priestman (Liberal Democrats).

Willaston & Rope: Richard Bennett (Green Party); Julie Fousert (Reform UK); Allen Gage (Conservative); Ben Wye (Labour).

Wilmslow Dean Row: Lata Anderson (Residents of Wilmslow); Jack Illingworth (Conservative); Olivia Walker (Liberal Democrats).

Wilmslow East: John Duckworth (Conservative); David Jefferay (Residents of Wilmslow); Sarah Murphy (Liberal Democrats).

Wilmslow Lacey Green: Chris Hilliard (Residents of Wilmslow); Robin James (Liberal Democrats); Don Stockton (Conservative).

Wilmslow West & Chorley: Michelle Anderson (Green Party); Barry Estill (Conservative); Mark Goldsmith (Residents of Wilmslow); Michael Gorman (Residents of Wilmslow); Hannan Sarwar (Conservative); Gareth Wilson (Liberal Democrats).

Wistaston: Alan Coiley (Labour); Kim Jamson (Labour); Gary Poole (Conservative); Margaret Simon (Conservative); Claire Wilkinson (Green Party).

Wrenbury: Dave Manning (Green Party); James Pearson (Conservative); Sacha Sandbach (Liberal Democrats).

Wybunbury: Janet Clowes (Conservative); Stephen Ford (Liberal Democrats); Dennis Straine-Francis (Labour).