Tadley North, Kingsclere and Baughurst Conservative candidate - Maria Higson
Maria Higson, the Conservative candidate for the Tadley North, Kingsclere and Baughurst ward, says a vote for her next month is a vote “for someone with energy to fight for local issues”.
Ms Higson, who recently moved to Baughurst to live with her fiancé, Bruce Buckland, will stand for election instead of the current Tory incumbent, Geoff Poland, who will depart after just one year as a borough councillor.
The 31-year-old said she “just loved” getting involved in the local community, and was keen to keep the ward “as wonderful as it is”.
She said: “I’m standing because I want to represent my local area.
“Getting involved in the community is something I grew up with and I’ve always embedded myself in an area.
“We’ve made the decision to move here, just got engaged, getting married in September in Baughurst, so this is an area we’ve chosen to make our life, and you want to keep it as wonderful as it is.
“If you want to protect something, you’ve got to step up and get involved.”
Ms Higson, who will be stepping down as Conservative councillor on Camden Borough Council next month following her move, said she would be looking to clamp down on fly-tipping, which “really gets my goat”.
She added that 24 Swan Street “absolutely needs to be retained” for its current use as a community building, and said all the Conservative councillors for the ward had supported its application to become an Asset of Community Value, which gives the community a moratorium period in order to raise the funds to purchase the building.
On the campaign trail, she said potholes had come up repeatedly, and that she was creating a map of potholes locally in order to pressure Hampshire County Council – which has responsibility for the road network – to make repairs.
Planning issues had also come up repeatedly, with Ms Higson – who works for the NHS – saying “everyone recognises the need for sustainable planning and the infrastructure with it”.
Click here for Liberal Democrat candidate - Kerry Morrow
The election will take place on May 5.
