Candidates have been setting out how they would make a difference on East Marsh in Grimsby, ahead of the local elections. Four people are contending the seat, which was won by Nicola Aisthorpe last time around. She will be hoping to be reelected for the Lib Dems, but will face competition from Callum Procter (Conservative), Kay Rudd (Labour) and Lee Coulbeck (TUSC - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition). A third of seats on North East Lincolnshire Council are up for grabs on May 4. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has been speaking to the candidates for East Marsh ward about their visions for the future. Read more: Full list of candidates for North East Lincolnshire Council Nicola Aisthorpe (Liberal Democrat) Cllr Nicola Aisthorpe, Liberal Democrat, is standing for re-election in East Marsh ward. (Image: Nicola Aisthorpe) Nicola Aisthorpe has been a councillor for two years and said she was brought up in Comber Place in the ward. She felt this gave her a good idea of the community's needs, including what it was like to live in poor, damp housing. "I will continue to fight for better quality housing on the East Marsh," she said. She also pointed to issues including increasing levels of fuel poverty, road safety due to speeding drivers, and untidy streets beset by fly tipping and dog fouling. She cited increased enforcement on rogue landlords and those who dirty the streets. She also called on the Government and council to do more to help people with high energy bills. A policy priority would be selective licensing of landlords. "There are some good landlords in the East Marsh, but 'rogue landlords' [are] a major issue," she said. The Lib Dems had pushed for action on this point as long ago as 2012, and she said she had been given a commitment by the council leader at full council that this would happen in the near future. Ms Aisthorpe also wants the council to arrange more community alleyway clearances. She said: "When the Lib Dems controlled the council, alleyways were regularly cleared." With regards to dog foul and littering, she said: "To overcome this issue the council needs to bring back Operation Street Pride, when the removal of vehicles from the street enabled the council to carry out regular deep cleans, fill in potholes and carry out white lining, with the aim of bringing back some pride into the area." She said the Lib Dems would commit to two "Skip It" days in each ward to allow people to dispose of rubbish in skips laid on by the council. She also promised regular litter picks and to continue weekly ward surgeries. She added: "This
election is not about national politics, it is about electing someone who is a true community champion." If reelected she would "fight for a better deal for East Marsh". Callum Procter (Conservative Party) Callum Procter, pictured, has been a councillor before. He is the Conservative's candidate for East Marsh. (Image: GrimsbyLive) Callum Procter has previously been a councillor for four years and a cabinet member for three. He said this gave him experience of how the council worked and how to get things done. If elected, he said he wouold challenge and scrutinise decisions on behalf of East Marsh residents. He highlighted the problem of fly tipping, particularly in alleyways. "I would make sure that fly tipping is being addressed," he added. While alleyways were private, the council "could be more creative and deal with that issue". While "the vast majority of residents are good, law-abiding citizens", anti-social behaviour was one of the biggest issues affecting East Marsh, Mr Procter said. If elected, he would work with the MP and councillors to address the problem. He raised the subject of empty homes and said: "I do think we need to roll out the selective licensing policy quicker and faster." The council needed to get on top of bad landlords, as residents deserved good quality homes and services for the rent they paid. Mr Procter said a policy priority was the regeneration of Grimsby and East Marsh itself. He credited Lia Nici, the Conservative Great Grimsby MP, for helping to bring about £107m in Levelling Up funding to the borough over the past few years. Not able to access our election issues poll below? Click here . Kay Rudd (Labour) East Marsh ward
Labour candidate Kay Rudd (Image: GrimsbyLive/Donna Clifford) "I know the area like the back of my hand," said Kay Rudd, who has lived in East Marsh all her life and was one of its councillors for six years until early 2022. "My heart and soul is here," she added, arguing that she was a good candidate because of her availability if elected. She emphasised how she was an all-round community person, and had worked to clean out alleyways with a local church. She felt the ward had generally deteriorated over the past 20 years. "It's the anti-social behaviour, but then again, it's brought on by losing your
Job," she said, pointing to the decline of factory and fishing jobs over time. It would take a while to turn this around, but she argued a start had to be made and continued. Being accessible and knocking on doors was a policy priority for her. She felt that there was a serious need to address support for special educational needs children and noted that the issue affected a number of East Marsh families. She also wanted to see progress on housing conditions, and stressed the impact this had on families. "The play parks are in a shocking state," she added, saying that improvements had been on the agenda for a long time. She had raised funds for improvements to the Albion Street playpark. Ms Rudd raised the prospect of alleyway clearances. "What we need to do is just keep up with street cleaning, it has to be done on a regular basis," she said. The £750,000 Safer Streets Funding for East Marsh from the Home Office should "be spent wisely, because it's not going to come again in a hurry," Ms Rudd added. Local
elections 2023 - Voter ID and other things to know The local elections on May 4, 2023, will be the first time in
England that people will only be allowed to vote at polling stations if they have an accepted form of photographic ID. The deadline to register to vote is 11.59pm on Monday, April 17. You can apply online here . To help check if you are on the electoral register already, simply contact the electoral services team in your council area. Contact details for the electoral services team of whichever council area you live in are available by a postcode search tool you can visit here . The original versions (note, copies are not accepted) of the following will be accepted at polling stations as valid forms of photo ID on May 4: UK, EEA state or Commonwealth passport
UK or EEA state issued driving licence, including provisional licence Blue Badge Local travel - older person's bus pass funded by UK government, disabled person's bus pass funded by UK government, Oyster 60+, Freedom Pass and eight other travel ID schemes spread across
Northern Ireland,
Scotland and Wales An ID card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card) Biometric
immigration document Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card) National identity card issued by an EEA state Electoral identity card issued in Northern
Ireland Anonymous Elector's Document The name on your ID should be the same you used to register to vote. You can also use an out-of-date accepted photo ID, so long as it looks like you. The other accepted ID is the new 'Voter Authority Certificate', which people without or unsure if they have a recognised form of ID have until 5pm on April 25 to apply for. This can be applied for, by clicking here . You can also apply by post for the Voter Authority Certificate by filling out a paper application form and sending to your local council. To request an application form, or for help with your application, contact your local council's electoral registration service. To find out more about accepted forms of photo ID, click here . For a postal vote, make sure your application is with the local council's elections team by 5pm on April 18. No voter ID is required for postal votes. Proxy vote application forms, where a person nominates someone else to vote at a polling station on their behalf, must be received by your local council's elections office by no later 5pm on 25 April 2023. Lee Coulbeck (TUSC) The LDRS was not able to make contact with Lee Coulbeck. He is, however, one of 11 candidates for the TUSC (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) in North East Lincolnshire. According to the TUSC's local elections manifesto: "Alongside industrial struggle, local government has the potential to be part of the working-class fightback against the Tories and the bosses trying to make us pay for the crisis and the chaos." TUSC candidates are opposed to austerity and council cuts. TUSC councillor candidates across the country are standing on the basis of council budgets concentrating on meeting the needs of residents first. Want to sign up to the Grimsby newsletter, but can’t access the link below? Click here . READ NEXT: Local elections - runners and riders for Heneage ward on North East Lincolnshire Council Residents on narrow Scartho street furious at 'disgusting' traffic caused by roadworks Residents rage at giant mound of earth that is 'attracting youths on bikes and drug users' Local elections: the runners and riders for Freshney ward on North East Lincolnshire Council Banksy-style graffiti of metal detectorist appears on Cleethorpes Beach following Council 'ban' on activity Read More Related Articles Armed
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