A BY-ELECTION tomorrow will see residents of Queensbury go to the polls to choose a new councillor.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Lisa Carmody earlier this year.

There is a five-way contest for the seat.

The Telegraph & Argus invited all five candidates to give a brief statement about why they were standing for election.

Green Party candidate Eithne Dodwell:

I have lived in on the Foxhill Estate in Queensbury since 1983 and my two daughters were educated in Queensbury.

After running a playgroup in Queensbury, I worked for more than 20 years in Early Years and Primary Education in Bradford.

Since retirement I have worked with Cycle Queensbury to develop cycling locally and with BEACON Bradford to support refused Asylum Seekers.

A passionate gardener, I am appalled by the absence of references to the threat, and reality, of climate change in media coverage of recent election campaigns, both locally and nationally.

Labour Party candidate Mobeen Hussain:

I am Bradford-born and I live in Queensbury ward.

We may be located on the edge of Bradford but we should not accept being on the fringes of decision-making.

We need a councillor who will fight for Queensbury on the frontline and get the investment, improvements and action that we deserve. The last decade has been a lost decade.

I want to fight for our fair share, protect, and improve our schools, local services, roads, businesses and environment. As a lecturer, I am determined to do more to support younger people to find good jobs, training opportunities and apprenticeships.

Conservative Party candidate Andrew Senior:

Andrew is 41 and lives with his wife and two daughters in Queensbury where he was born and raised; as was his father and grandparents. Some may know him by his old nickname of ‘soggy’ .

Andrew is passionate about Queensbury and surrounding areas for many reasons, but it’s the people, true Yorkshire folk who respect honesty and hard work, who he wants to represent.

The Queensbury ward has lacked funding from the council for sports, recreation and playing fields and areas for a wide range of voluntary groups to meet and socialise, something Andrew desperately wants to change. He wants to be a strong voice at City Hall.

Independent candidate Jason Smith:

I have helped residents in Queensbury ward for 10 years; I will continue to work hard for you. I promise to:

- Be visible 24/7, 365 days a year

- Fight to protect local services

- Fight for services for the elderly and vulnerable

- Champion youth projects

- Continue to oppose building on greenbelt land

- Push for a visible police presence

- Fight for a full gritting service

- Call local votes on important issues, i.e. a Parish Council

- Work with local Councillors to provide local funding

- Be a strong voice for you in Bradford Council.

The Liberal Democrats’ candidate, Mary Whitrick:

Mary lives locally on Great Horton Road. She works as a Re-mortgage Accounts Manager for a Leeds based Law firm.

In her spare time Mary is a Girl Guide and Ranger leader in Clayton and plays Pool and Dominoes in the Queensbury League. Mary is also a member of the Methodist Church.

Mary and the Bradford Lib Dems are campaigning to protect Community Facilities like Queensbury Pool.

Only the Lib Dems are holding Labour in Bradford to account over cuts to foster carers’ allowances and their failure to support local community buildings.