THOUSANDS of voters are expected to take to the polls this week during the latest county council elections.

All of Hampshire's 76 divisions will be up for grabs on Thursday, including Andover's three seats - North, South and West.

Andover South will be the most hotly contested of the three, with four candidates battling it out to depose current councillor Tony Hooke.

Conservative Zilliah Brooks will attempt to defend her Andover West set against candidates from the Lib Dems, Ukip and Labour.

Meanwhile Ukip's Tim Rolt will attempt to hold off the Conservatives and Lib Dems in a three-battle for Andover North.

Other seats in the area up for grabs include Test Valley Central, Whitchurch and the Clere and Candovers, Oakley and Overton division.

Elections will also take place in neighbouring Wiltshire, where both the seats of Ludgershall and Pernham Down and Tidworth will be up for grabs.

Ahead of next Thursday's vote, the Advertiser has collected profiles from candidates across the area to help you find out more about the people fighting it out for your vote.

You can also click on the picture above to see photos of each of the canidates.


ANDOVER NORTH
 

Ukip

Tim Rolt

I’ve been honoured to be your county councillor.

I regularly attend county, parish and town council meetings on your behalf, helping with people’s concerns and local matters.

I’m proud of helping extensively Bourne Valley residents during the 13/14 winter floods, being instrumental in stopping the proposed Walworth Estate Energy Recovery Centre (incinerator), getting a resident’s water leak fixed promptly, after reading about her 6 week ordeal, helping ensure the ‘Junction’ services for vulnerable youngsters continued at the ‘Mini Junction’, despite cuts getting a 40mph limit implemented either side of Hurstbourne Tarrant, getting a new signalised crossing and lighting installed in Enham and being able to help many local causes through my Councillor Grant scheme.

If re-elected, I’ll continue my work, including campaigning for increased support for the elderly/ vulnerable and for a hospital that better reflects the current population of Andover, for dropping charges for Household DIY waste at the ‘dump’, with local residents/ teachers for a signalised crossing for Roman Way School and for re-opening the Andover-Ludgershall railway with likeminded local people

I’m married with three children and live locally. I am a keen linguist and enjoy walking, music, railways and canals.

Conservative

Kirsty Locke

Kirsty lives in Artists Way with her fiancé, Phil. She previously volunteered as an Academic Mentor and is passionate about providing the best education for our young people, enabling every child to get the best start in life. She currently works as a caseworker so has lots of experience liaising with different agencies to solve people’s problems. In her spare time Kirsty enjoys running and volunteering at Andover parkrun. You will often find Kirsty undoing all that hard work by enjoying a slice of cake at The Tea Cosy in Hurstbourne Tarrant.

Liberal Democrat

Katherine Bird

Having made Andover my home nearly 20 years ago and now raising a young family here, I am passionate about this town and surrounding villages. Andover North is a growing community with so much to offer. We must ensure Hampshire County Council is accountable for the best way of spending your hard earned money. Cuts to funding are falling on the most vulnerable and I believe that the most at risk in our society need to be heard. I set up the Andover Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme to provide safe and practical spaces for families at a time of need. I am working with Aster to change the way they do maintenance so that outstanding jobs are completed, and are always properly finished. I am championing the installation of defibrillators in Andover and in community halls across our villages. As a parent, I understand the on-going challenge of finding a way to make ends meet, putting food on the table, and ensuring a safe and happy community experience for our children is my greatest hope. It is time that we all work together to give voice to those most in need of being heard.

ANDOVER SOUTH

Independent

Tony Hooke

In my early career I was a member of the Army's Intelligence Corps. I now run a business in Andover and I know first-hand how business-unfriendly Test Valley councils are.

For a number of years the town has been without an effective member of parliament; that fact, coupled with extremely weak civic leadership, has led to the demise of Andover town centre.

Priority 1 is its rejuvenation.Priority 2 is to develop a new health centre for Andover and its villages. I will spend the next four years campaigning for a new centre of excellence pooling GP's manpower, skills and expertise.Priority 3 is the abolition of Andover Town Council, via a local referendum, saving over a quarter of a million pounds a year. The borough and county councillors would share the small workload.

I believe in open, honest and transparent local councils, something we have not had in recent years in Test Valley. The provision of a smaller leisure centre, debated by Test Valley in secret and without proper consultation, is a recent case in point.

I believe local councillors, irrespective of their position or responsibilities, should not be paid but should be volunteers.

I believe one man in this town can make a big difference.

Conservative

Martin Boiles

Martin has lived in Andover all his life and attended East Street & Winton School, then attended Andover College. Having lived in the London Road area as a child and young man and then moving to the Winchester Road area, where he now lives with his wife and son. If elected Martin will take a very keen interest in all schools in the Andover area. He had a splendid education and wants every child to have the same opportunities that he had. Martin believes that with his background in the town, he is ideally placed to achieve excellence. Running his own Company, Martin finds that the busier you are, the more important it is to find time for other people. He wants to work to make this town a town that we can all be proud of, particularly with a vibrant retail area and booming industry. Empty shops need the right occupants for our residents.

Liberal Democrat

Richard Rowles

Andover needs someone to speak up for it on the County Council. You can see from the way the Town is today, the people we have elected up to now are just not doing their job. Worse, there are those who repeatedly run us the people and our town down. What we need is someone who will put Andover first. Party politics alone won't work. Helping our community and working with others is a top priority if we are to make Andover a better place.

I was born in Andover forty one years ago; my family have lived here for a while too. My dad Alan, and his brothers played cricket and football for many years in and around Andover. I also went to college here in Andover and recently decided to start a small business here in Andover.

There's a lot of good things going on in Andover, but we all need to pull together to make the Town a better place. I’m doing what I can as a member of the Town Council, Chair of trustees for a local charity, and becoming a School Governor. Positive change is needed at the County Council so that Andover sees improvements in services is so desperately needs.

Ukip

Dan Emmerson

REFUSED TO TAKE PART

Labour

Felicity Thorpe-Tracey

Felicity is a local teacher with a background in special educational needs and child protection. She is passionate about giving a voice to the most marginalised, and supporting the most vulnerable.

Felicity is active in her trade union, supporting teachers and challenging the current education cuts. She wants to see our schools receive the best support for both teachers and students. If elected, she will be a champion for those left behind by the current council decisions.

Green

Catherine Hosen

Having moved to Andover in 1995, while teaching at Winton School, I have lived in the town and worked largely in the Education sector ever since. My children, now 20, 18 and 10 have been entirely brought up here. I have worked for Andover College (then Cricklade) for 7 years and for the last 9 years have worked for a small, local software company delivering support and training in IT.Since joining in 2015, I have found that the Green Party is about a lot more than renewables. I share the party’s vision for a fairer and more sustainable future. On Hampshire County Council I would focus on better funding for social care, giving carers a fair wage and time to treat their clients with friendliness and dignity.

As well as being a Green, I am a genuine local person and care passionately about our Leisure Centre and other local issues. The leisure centre decisions, in my view, were poor and made with too little local consultation. I would work hard to see that access to swimming and other facilities were maintained during the work and that the finished centre would offer more and bigger services.

ANDOVER WEST

Conservative

Zilliah Brooks

Zilliah was first elected as a local councillor in 1999 and has used her experience to great effect on the County Council since 2015. With 10 Parish councils in Andover West, Zilliah keeps herself firmly in touch with the local communities, helping to resolve numerous problems. These include working with village schools to improve standards and getting local paths upgraded so they are fit for wheel-chair use. Road problems are regularly reported and Zilliah pressures the county highways team to get results.

Zilliah said: “My previous experience working for Mencap has given me an understanding of just how important getting help and support to people actually is. Making the difference really matters to me.”


Labour

Andy Fitchet

I'm 27, live on King Arthur's Way, part time baptist minister, been an Andover Town Councillor for 7 years and have been running youth groups in the town for over 10 years.

I think it's time for change. I want to see integrated health and social care across Hampshire. I want to see our elderly well supported with the reintroduction of the free safety alarm and protecting the free bus pass. I want to see our young people well supported through good youth provision. I want to see our roads and paths be safe not left a danger for walkers and drivers. Simply I want people to be treated as people and not numbers on page.

As for Labour, we want to put people first. Many decisions have been made over the last few years that ignored the public and their view. We want to change that and put people back at the heart of decisions made in our local council.

Ukip

Norman Woods

I'm Norman Woods, aged 71, resident in Charlton since 1983. UKIP Councillors will fight against over development protecting our countryside and open spaces is a priority. Keeping council tax as low as possible whilst protecting front line services. Ensure local people and veterans are prioritised first for social/affordable housing. UKIP Councillors are not party whipped and will act in the way they feel is in the best interests of all constituents.

Liberal Democrat

Luigi Gregori

I have lived around Andover on and off since 1987. I left the Army in 2012 as a Colonel after 34 years, getting involved in the voluntary sector before becoming an Andover town councillor.

My army career meant no indulging in politics, though work allowed me to take an interest in that of others. The Balkan Wars in my mind highlighted the importance of liberal democracy and how lucky we are to live in one.

The current Conservative run Hampshire County Council has been raising taxes but delivering less services, whilst it continues to maintain over £400 million in the bank. I am standing as a Liberal Democrat local campaigner with a good track record of action in the Andover area. Conservatives have been responsible for the Andover Leisure Centre fiasco, the closure of The Junction which supported vulnerable young people, and above inflation increases on meals on wheels.

My priorities are: Fight to keep schools properly funded avoiding the Conservative eight per cent cut. Ensure satisfactory social care, and avoid bed blocking the NHS. Less potholes. Invest in recycling, keep centres open with no illegal tip charges. I am the only candidate in this election who believes in change and value for money.

TEST VALLEY CENTRAL

Conservative

Andrew Gibson

Andrew says it’s been an enormous privilege for him to have served as the County Councillor for Test Valley Central Division for the past eight years. He is now welcoming Picket 20 and Andover Down into the Test Valley Central Division as a result of the Boundary changes. Andrew is currently the Cabinet Member for Culture, Recreation & Countryside in Hampshire where he has managed to keep all the Libraries open in Hampshire. Andrew lives in Chilbolton and intends to use his years’ of experience as a Councillor and previous skills as a Company Director, to be able to make a significant difference for residents across Hampshire. Andrew has championed change including investment in new road repair methods and investment in the Country Parks and Libraries, including Andover Library which has become a key Community Hub.

Green Party

Carol Bartholomew

Carol has lived in Andover since 1979 working in HCC with people with learning difficulties and in the NHS community team for elderly and those with a disability. Since moving to Burghclere Down Carol is in the parish of Abbotts Ann.

Carol is joint founder of Transition Town Andover a community group working towards a low carbon future as well as being an active member of Test Valley Friends of the Earth.

Carol uses her experience gained as an Occupational Therapist together with a scientific background from studying Energy and Environmental Technology to look at today’s problems and focus on practical solutions.

The Green Party’s vision is for a sustainable planet giving everyone a share. At Hampshire County Council I would value those in the caring profession by demanding more money and innovative planning go into Social Care and Health, giving elderly people and those with a disability value and dignity. I will support plans which encourage communities to work, generate renewable energy and produce food locally and remain in contact via good transport links.

Carol is a member of Andover Town Council stood in 2015 TVBC election.

Liberal Democrats

Harry Paul

Harry has lived in Broughton with his wife Donna for the last 32 years. Their two sons were both educated at the village school and then onto Test Valley School and Peter Symonds College. Harry worked at IBM for 25 years, leading international negotiating teams; managing multi-million dollar projects and playing a key role in developing IBM's first Software Partner Programme across the whole of Europe and The Middle East. When Harry retired from IBM in 2010, he became a parish councillor in Broughton. He was a volunteer village bus driver and a Broughton Downs Warden. He has been an allotment holder for over 25 years and is a bee-keeper. Harry stood as an independent candidate in the 2015 TVBC election on a platform of opposition to Over-Development which is threatening Test Valley villages. He joined the Liberal Democrats in November 2015 and is fully signed up to the Lib Dem key policies, especially on Europe, but Over-Development is still a big issue for him.

He supports affordable housing for local needs, but feels that villages must be protected from Over-Development. If elected he would encourage parish councils to develop their own Neighbourhood Plans with parishioners at the centre of the planning process.

Labour

David Stevens

Did not respond