Conservative quartet for Bishop’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth seats on Herts County Council

Hertford and Stortford Conservatives have confirmed their candidates in the May 1 Hertfordshire County Council elections.

East Herts district and Bishop’s Stortford town councillor John Wyllie and his former colleague on both authorities, David Snowdon, will contest the Bishop’s Stortford West and East divisions respectively.

Albury Parish Council member Mark Pope hopes to secure the Bishop’s Stortford Rural seat currently held by Tory Cllr Graham McAndrew, and Cllr Eric Buckmaster will stand again in Sawbridgeworth.

Hertford and Stortford Conservative Association chairman Nathan Parsad-Wyatt said: “We are delighted to have such a strong group of local champions who will work tirelessly for their local communities.

“Our experienced candidates are committed to standing up for residents, addressing local issues and delivering positive change.

“Conservative-run councils not only deliver better services but also cost you less, with lower council tax on average than Labour or Liberal Democrat-run councils.

“Over the coming months, we look forward to speaking to as many residents as possible, articulating a positive vision for our area.

“With this team, we can ensure our communities are not left at the mercy of a disastrous coalition of other parties running our county.”

Cllr Pope lives in Albury, part of the Bishop’s Stortford Rural division he hopes to represent at County Hall along with Thorley, Much Hadham, Little Hadham, Furneux Pelham and Stocking Pelham.

Vice-chair of the parish council, he served on East Herts Council for 16 years until he lost his seat in May 2023. He was third in the Ware Priory word, where the Green Party took both seats. He will face one of those victors, Cllr George Williams, on May 1.

Cllr Pope said: “It’s a privilege to be selected as the Conservative candidate for Bishop’s Stortford Rural, where I live.

“I’m committed to improving our roads across Bishop’s Stortford and our villages, supporting local schools and tackling issues such as speeding and flooding. By working together, we can make our communities even better places to live.”

Cllr Wyllie has been a councillor for 26 years. A former Bishop’s Stortford mayor and town council leader, he currently holds a Thorley Manor South ward seat on the town council and serves as an East Herts Council member for Thorley Manor.

He is hoping to make a comeback as a Hertfordshire county councillor. In 2021, he lost his Bishop’s Stortford East seat to Liberal Democrat Cllr Calvin Horner, who became the town’s first non-Conservative returned to County Hall in 24 years.

In May, Cllr Wyllie will contest the Bishop’s Stortford West division currently held by fellow Conservative Cllr Alastair Ward-Booth.

As a town and district councillor, he was instrumental in delivering investment in Castle Park, Grange Paddocks Leisure Centre and new allotments.

He said: “Representing Bishop’s Stortford residents has been a great honour and I am thrilled to stand again as the Conservative candidate.

“I will continue to champion investment in public services, protect our green spaces and ensure Bishop’s Stortford remains a great place to live and work.”

Mr Snowdon, who was elected to the town council in a 2018 by-election and won a district council seat the following year, also representing Meads ward, lost both in 2023.

During his time in office he was deputy leader of the town council, spearheading efforts to invest in community centres and fighting efforts to sell off land at Rye Street meads and Thorley Lane East Woods to speculators.

He also served as a member of the Bishop’s Stortford Business Improvement District’s board.

He said: “I am passionate about improving Bishop’s Stortford and ensuring residents have the services and support they deserve. I am determined to secure more investment for our town centre.

“I will also work tirelessly to improve our roads, support our schools and fight prolonged road closures. Together, we can make a difference.”

Cllr Buckmaster has served Sawbridgeworth as a town councillor since 2007, a district councillor since 2010 and a county councillor since 2017.

As the HCC cabinet member for the environment, he has championed tree planting, recycling and natural flood solutions.

Cllr Buckmaster said: “It’s an honour to be reselected as the Conservative candidate for Sawbridgeworth.

“I care deeply about helping people and supporting our communities. If re-elected, I will continue to listen to residents, address their concerns and deliver results for our area.”

The Conservative team wants residents’ input to shape their Plan for Bishop’s Stortford and Sawbridgeworth. Voters are asked to complete a survey at shorturl.at/9LzGs or contact office@hertfordandstortfordconservatives.org for more information.

Herts County Council has 78 members. The present split is 45 Conservatives, 24 Lib Dems, seven Labour, one Green and one Independent.

The Indie has asked the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and Reform UK to confirm their Stortford and Sawbridgeworth candidates on May 1.