Devizes goes to the polls tomorrow to elect a new town councillor for the South Ward, following the death earlier this year of Cllr Ray Parsons.

The candidates are: Margaret Green (Green), Maria Hoult (Conservative), Vince McNamara (Labour) and Paul Tweedle (Devizes Guardians). Here, in their own words, is why they believe you should vote for them.

Margaret Green, Green Party

We all have a part to play in delivering a better, greener future. I will work hard to serve our community and steer the council towards sustainable choices, in ways that also improve our quality of life now.

I am keen to help Devizes citizens retrofit their homes to make them warm, well-ventilated, and independent of the need to burn fossil fuels. Making walking and cycling safe and enjoyable for the people of Devizes is a top priority, alongside improving public transport services. Making our beautiful town more accessible without driving cars will reduce emissions, ease congestion, improve air quality, and people’s health. We can also improve the air quality in our town through better management of traffic flows, and the transition to renewable energy in our homes and businesses.

I'm retired and have lived in Devizes for six years. I run a small business importing handmade French saddles for horses. My background is in the Civil Service, the Royal Air Force and teaching. I have two grown-up daughters, two horses, and a cat called Chomp. I'm a member of Sustainable Devizes, Wiltshire Climate Alliance and the Green Party, all focused on ensuring a safe and healthy future for everyone.

Maria Hoult, Conservative

I have lived in Devizes for four years with my three children and manage a local charity shop. During the Pandemic I volunteered with the Covid support group and spent many hours exploring the town to deliver shopping and medication to those who were unable to get out and about.

This inspired me to get more involved with the community and I have since joined the Neighbourhood Planning group and the Devizes Development Partnership who provide the towns CCTV and are championing the Railway Station project.

I decided to stand for election because I want to make a difference to the community I am part of and the town which I live in. I believe town always comes before Party but I have seen the hard work put in by conservative councillors since May to help the traders in the Shambles and the residents of Snuff Court and I want to continue those efforts.

It is important that residents believe they will be listened to by their town councillors and that their views count, I will make it my top priority to ensure this is always at the forefront of every decision the town council makes.

Vince McNamara, Labour

I am standing for election to serve as a local councillor because I believe our town is better served when all sections of the community are represented and heard. We need strong new voices and bold new ideas to counteract the stale majority views we get from the Devizes Guardians and Tories. I will proudly serve alongside my excellent Labour colleague, Catherine Brown, to extend fairness, social justice and equality in everything the council does.

When Wiltshire Council reopened our library, they did not re-open the Community Hub, the first point of call to access council services, leaving people in need with almost no help. This needs to be fixed.

Going Green should mean more than just promises to plant more trees. We urgently need working electric vehicle charging points around the town. Our green spaces and nature reserves must be protected from inappropriate development.

We need properly joined-up thinking when it comes to the development of our town centre. We have limited resources, so any investment must deliver long term benefits as widely as possible. On issues like town-centre parking, we need the independence to stand up to Tory-led Wiltshire Council when our town needs it.

Paul Tweedle, Devizes Guardians

I consider myself most fortunate to live with my family in the centre of Devizes, enjoying its amenities, history, rural beauty, architecture, and vibrant social life, but particularly because of its residents.

I have always liked to improve or support where I live and I have experience in this having previously been a councillor, representing one of the mainstream parties. I joined the Devizes Guardians as I felt they better represented the residents and the needs of Devizes, free of national party politics, spin doctors, career politicians and special advisors.

I promise to play a strong practical role in ensuring that Devizes loses nothing of its character but develops only in the best interests of its people.

If elected I will:

• Represent fellow residents on the issues that matter to them

• Help protect Devizes from over and inappropriate development

• Demand affordable well designed and sustainable housing

• Ensure residents are safe from anti-social behaviour

• Help develop greening plans with trees planted along high polluting roads.

• Give full support for the neighbourhood plan to define as designated green spaces the areas around Drews Pond and Roundway Hospital.

• Give full support for the markets’ revitalisation.

• Continue the Devizes Guardians drive for the council to provide value for money services.

• Support the Guardians plans for a children’s splash pad and the council’s plans for youth engagement