We asked each party why you should vote for them in local Banbury elections – here are their replies

Voters in the Banbury area will be going to the polling stations on Thursday May 4 for the local elections.

One third of the district council seats (one seat per ward) and 27 parish councils will be on the ballot paper.

For the full list of candidates, click here.

We asked each party to write a piece on why people should vote for them - and here are their submissions (in alphabetical order).

ConservativesOver the past three years, Conservative-controlled Cherwell District Council has delivered a street food and events space at Lock 29, waterside restaurants and The Light Cinema and entertainment complex which, taken together, have transformed our historiccanalside and made the town an exciting destination for residents and visitors alike. But this is not the end of our ambitions for Banbury. We are committed to unlocking further regeneration in our town centre and can be trusted to deliver. Our diverse mix ofindependent retailers will continue to have our support.Under Conservative leadership, Cherwell District Council has a strong track record in supporting residents to live well. Over 2,000 Banbury families have or are benefiting from free or discounted leisure activities. The council is also supporting almost 500 Banbury residents with long-term health conditions to help them improve their physical health and well-being. Bike libraries are set to open at five Banbury primary schools while a new BMX pump track is in train for Spiceball Park. The open air pool is now being heated by one of the largest solar thermal installations of its kind in the UK.While others seek to stifle our local potential, we will always champion Banbury as an area of opportunity.Conservative councillors care about every penny you pay in Council Tax and are committed to reinvesting that money into making Banbury the best place to live, work and enjoy. Compare that to Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat councillors on Oxfordshire County Council who have increased your Council Tax by £160 in the past two years while our roads are riddled with potholes.Your choice on May 4 is clear. A well-run Conservative council focused on your priorities or Oxford’s left wing politics brought here to Banbury.For a better Banbury, vote Conservative on May 4.

Green PartyThe Green Party is growing in support across Oxfordshire as a key part of local government at all levels. In many areas we are now the only credible alternative vote to the traditional parties.Cherwell elected its first Green councillor in 2019 and gained another in 2022. In that time we’ve helped shape the administration, influencing policy and improving outcomes for all our residents.Greens work hard to get elected and we work hard when we are elected. We put people before politics and never forget that we’re there to represent all our residents rather than our political party.As an emerging political force in Cherwell, we’ll continue to press for greater protection for our precious green spaces, farmland and wildlife habitats, rather than giving them up to developers for a quick profit.We know we need more housing, but a greater proportion should be genuinely affordable for everyone based on local wage levels rather than market value. We also need a radical rethink of our planning policy to ensure buildings are carbon neutral and energy efficient, especially as we face a growing cost of living crisis.Investments using council tax should be fairly shared across the district providing for local needs in our communities, along with support for small businesses and community hubs. We should not be using public money to fund purely commercial investments when, as a council that has declared a climate emergency, we could be focused more on facilitating green initiatives such as renewable energy and transport systems that will generate safer and more reliable financial returns for the taxpayer.We know we need to look after our residents’ interests now, but we also look to the future to ensure that coming generations will have a fairer society and a planet fit to live on.

LabourAt the heart of these local elections is a simple question – are you better off after 13 years of the Conservatives?Cherwell is a great place to live with extraordinary potential. During the pandemic, so many of you stepped up with looking after neighbours. Our increasingly diverse community has led the way in providing support and refuge to the people of Ukraine.But the Conservative government broke the economy and we’re all paying the price. Food bills and mortgages are rising, so more and more of us are facing difficult and uncomfortable decisions.That’s why you need a council that is on your side and careful with your money. This election really matters.Labour are on your side.A Labour Government would freeze council tax for this year. We would keep the energy price cap in from April, freeze fuel duty and bring in Breakfast Clubs across every primary school in England. This will be paid for with a windfall tax on energy companies and by stopping non-doms avoiding tax.The Conservatives have stopped listening and are out of touch. Their councillors sit silently at meetings because they’re out of ideas after decades in charge.We spend all year knocking on doors, speaking to you and listening to your concerns. You don’t just see us at election time.Labour at Cherwell have driven the agenda with action on warm spaces, the cost of living, food poverty, housing and the environment.Labour want a Cherwell where everyone feels safe and secure in their homes. The Conservatives wanted to cut town centre CCTV.Labour want Cherwell to lead the way in tackling climate change. The Conservatives want you to pay to empty your brown bins.Only Labour is offering the leadership that our area deserves. Labour will deliver a fairer, greener future and a fresh start for Cherwell.

Liberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community. Our local councillors are active across our communities, listening to all residents and working hard to represent your views.Last year the Lib Dems gained four more seats on Cherwell council, including in the Banbury area, and our support is rising fast across the district. We now lead the main opposition group to the Conservatives on Cherwell, working cross-party to hold the administration to account.This year, Cherwell residents have a golden opportunity to change the make-up of the council after decades of the same old complacency. More and more people are switching to the Lib Dems, knowing we are a hard-working group of local residents who keep in touch year round and who will fight for the best interests of all the residents of Banbury and the surrounding villages.Our councillors will:- Push for more sustainable housing development: appropriate, realistic house-building ambitions that meet actual local needs rather than pursuing an obsession with numbers.- Protect our villages and the natural environment, so that they can retain their unique identity and have the green spaces around them safeguarded.- Push for improvements in infrastructure to support the increased local population – we share your concerns that our roads and our services are struggling to cope.- Back needed regeneration of Banbury town centre for the benefit of residents, while managing the council’s finances prudently so that local taxpayers get proper value for money.- Support communities who want to introduce safer speed limits in line with residents’ wishes.On May 4 be sure to have your say and vote for your hard-working, local Liberal Democrat team.Don’t forget your photo ID!

Standing as independents:

Simon Garrett (Banbury Cross and Neithrop Ward); Cassi Perry (Banbury Grimsbury and Hightown Ward); Julie Battison (Banbury Ruscote Ward).

As Independent candidates we have the advantage of being able to campaign on issues we care about, free from party politics, internal spats or restrictions. Local elections are a time when you are able to use your vote how you wish and prioritise the issues that matter to you. Last May, Cherwell District Council changed dynamics with the third political group overtaking Labour to become the official opposition. This group is made up of five independent councillors, joining the Lib-Dems and Green Party councillors. This means in local elections voting independent is now a sensible and valid option, especially if you find yourself less than impressed with the conduct of our political parties. The three of us are close friends and colleagues from the local community and between us are involved in renting and tenants rights; campaigning for more social housing and more green spaces in our town. We work or volunteer within our Trade Unions, Acorn Renters Union, The Banbury Interfaith Network, Woodcraft Folk and several other local community groups.

Two of us have experience as district and town councillors and a particular interest in building social and co-operative housing that is so badly needed in our district. It’s time for less warehouses and more provision for local residents, built to the environmental standards the coming climate changes demand. We wish to represent the wards of Neithrop, Grimsbury and Ruscote and be able to bypass messy political party red tape to directly represent the issue impacting our lovely town. If things aren’t working it’s time to give something new a chance. Vote Independent on May 4.

The following candidates will also be standing as independents:

Paul Steven TuckerAdderbury, Bloxham and Bodicote Ward

John Jefferson BrownBanbury Calthorpe and Easington Ward

Tim BarrettBanbury Cross and Neithrop Ward

Robert PeckhamBicester East Ward

Harry John KnightBicester West Ward

Philip David Comely BrownKidlington East Ward