IN JUST over a week’s time voters will head to the polls to decide the make up of Denbighshire County Council.

Local elections will take place on May 4. Denbighshire has 47 county councillors, representing 30 electoral divisions.

County council elections are held every five years.

Labour is fielding 24 candidates across the county whilst Welsh Conservative have 36 candidates standing.

There are 33 Independent candidates hoping for a seat and Plaid Cymru has 12 candidates. There are also eight candidates standing for Welsh Liberal Democrats, one for the Socialist Labour Party, one for the green party and one for Liberal Democrats.

Candidates have been hitting the streets, canvassing and sharing their key priorities. Standing in the Rhyl East electoral division are Diana Hannam (Independent); Stewart Harris (Welsh Conservative); Barry Mellor (Welsh Labour); David Simmons (Welsh Labour) and Tony Thomas (Welsh Conservative).

Mr Harris, a former solider who served for 13 years in the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and was involved in the Poppy Appeal’s campaign, says he aims to do politics differently.

He said: “I just want an opportunity to help my community. Instead of talking about it in pubs with friends, about what’s right and what’s wrong with the town.

“I won’t be knocking on people’s doors, disturbing their evening meal after a hard day’s work, like many other councillors, because I think it’s phoney. I want to be the voice of the people.”

The candidates in Rhyl South East are Brian Blakeley (Welsh Labour); David Malcolm Dear (Welsh Liberal); Steve Ellison (Welsh Labour); Brian Jones (Welsh Conservative); Ellie Jones (Welsh Conservative); Hugh Patrick Jones (Independent); Win Mullen-James (Independent); Curtis Shea (Welsh Conservative); Bill Tasker (Independent) and Cheryl Lynne Williams (Welsh Labour).

Mrs Mullen James is standing as an independent candidate after being deselected to stand for the Labour Party.

She said: “I’ve been in the party for 15 years and have done a lot for my town.

“I’ve done lots of work and couldn’t have been more supportive – I’m not sure why I have been deselected.”

Mr Blakeley was first elected to the ward in a by-election in 2003.

He said: “I have worked hard since first becoming a councillor in 2003.
"I will do my dammest to do what I can for you all. I will do my utmost to achieve what you ask of me, but I would never promise.

"I have been lucky that I have a great ward. I will try and achieve what you want, but I wouldn't promise as that will be giving false hope. That is the way I have always worked. lies have a way of coming back and kicking you where it hurts."

The list of candidates for other wards – across Rhuddlan, Rhyl, Prestatyn and St Asaph – is as follows:

Bodelwyddan: Ivor Beech (Independent); Jo D Hall (Welsh Labour); Richard Mainon (Welsh Conservative); David Lee Wyatt (Plaid Cymru) and Huw Llewelyn Jones (Plaid Cymru).

St Asaph East: Heather Alison Prydderch (Welsh Liberal) and Andrew Thomas (Welsh Conservative).

Dyserth: Stephen Charles Thomas (Welsh Liberal); Philip Walker (Welsh Conservative); David Williams (Independent); Sharon Anne Newell (Independent) and Eryl Wyn Williams (Plaid Cymru).

St Asaph West: Peter Morton (Independent); Peter Scott (Welsh Conservative) and John Wynne-Jones (Independent).

Prestatyn Central: Peter Duffy (Independent); Mike German (Independent); Hugh Carson Irving (Welsh Conservative); Tina Jones (Welsh Conservative); Keith Richard Kirwan (Welsh Liberal); David James Lloyd (Welsh Labour) and Sonia Joanne Penlington (Welsh Labour).

Prestatyn South West; David Cooper (Independent); Gareth Lloyd Davies (Welsh Conservative); William Henry Davies (Welsh Conservative); Bob Murray (Welsh Labour); Allan Pennington (Independent); Gareth Sandilands (Welsh Labour).

Prestatyn East: Carol Holliday (Welsh Labour); Anton Sampson (Welsh Conservative); Gavin Christopher Scott (Liberal Democrats) and Julian Thompson-Hill (Welsh Conservative).

Prestatyn Meliden: Peter Evans (Independent); Gerry Frobisher (Welsh Conservative) and Ken Prydderch (Welsh Liberal).

Prestatyn North: Rachel Rebecca Flynn (Welsh Conservative ); Tony Flynn (Welsh Conservative); Jason Mathew Mclellan (Welsh Labour); Linda Muraca (Welsh Conservatives); Paul Alan Penlington (Welsh Labour) and Jaz Szabo (Welsh Labour).

Rhuddlan: Ann Davies (Welsh Conservative); Heather Ellis (Welsh Conservative); Jacqueline Lynda Mcalpine (Welsh Labour) and Arwel Roberts (Plaid Cymru).

Rhyl South West: Dawn Elizabeth Butters (Welsh Conservative); Pat Jones (Welsh Labour) and Pete Prendergast (Welsh Labour).

Rhyl South: Jeanette Chamberlain Jones (Welsh Labour); Ellie Chard (Welsh Labour); Justine Marie Evans (Welsh Conservative) and Daniel Peter Murray (Welsh Conservatives).

Rhyl West: Joan Butterfield (Welsh Labour) and Alan James (Welsh Labour).