TROWBRIDGE residents will once again be asked to come out to vote this week, and this time it is the turn of everyone who lives in the central ward.

Three people have stepped forward as candidates for the town council position, from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour party.

There are currently nine conservative and nine Liberal Democrat councillors sitting on Trowbridge Town Council. There are another two independent councillors and so this vote could indicate what party will control the majority moving forward.

The seat had previously been held by Labour councillor Phoebe Kemp.

Poll cards have been sent out to everyone in the area that can vote and the postal vote opens from tomorrow.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday August 22 at : Ushers Room at the Civic Centre, Wesley Road Methodist Church and Studley Green Community Centre, Lambrok Road.

Meet the candidates:

Christopher Hoar is a software engineer and has lived in Newtown for over 15 years. He is the Lib Dem candidate and is committed to putting climate change at the top of the agenda, as well as increasing footfall to the town.

He said : “I have the energy and drive to effect change. I would like to use my interests in the arts and music to encourage more activity in the town centre to get more people in the town.

“I can see some of the problems like traffic I thought to myself I can either do nothing or I can actually get involved in the community more and do something.

“I would like to see Trowbridge Town Council commit to being carbon neutral by doing things like switching to renewable energy, planting more trees and making our buildings carbon neutral. That would be fantastic for Trowbridge town.”

Trevor Porter, the conservative candidate is former photographer for the Wiltshire Times and is now a freelance photographer. He was inspired to run as a councillor because he wants to see the high street return to being a bustling place again.

Mr Porter added: “I want people to be proud of where they live again. I recently went to some towns in the Cotswolds and they had full shops, free parking and lots of people around. I think we need to improve footfall in the town again and get rid of the rubbish in the streets.

“I’ve got four generations of experience working as a journalist and photographer in the town and I’ve lived here all my life. When Graham Payne passed away I thought that now was the time to get involved and do something to make some changes.

Labour candidate Liz Gifford has lived in Trowbridge since the late 1980s. She is a teacher in Frome and believes Larkrise remains an important issue for people in the town. She said: “I want to bring a Labour voice into the council which will be something new as the council is very divided at the moment.

“Other councils are not politically run and they do very well, Frome for example. I want to support the people of Trowbridge and having a slightly different voice I think will be good for the town.

“I think everyone is concerned about Larkrise as well as traffic, planning and youth services. As a teacher I am also concerned about education for the young people in the town.”