Local campaigner Simon Martin chosen to fight Hanworth Park by-election

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 25th May 2007

Local Liberal Democrats have chosen hard working community campaigner and local resident Simon Martin as their candidate for the forthcoming Hanworth Park by-election. Simon Martin has lived in Hanworth Park with his young family for 13 years in Cromwell Road. He works in the community as an adviser to local social housing tenants associations. Simon is Vice Chair of Governors of St Lawrence's Primary School in Feltham, an active campaigner for better local transport links as a founder member of Windsor Lines Passengers' Association, and a member of Hounslow PCT's Patient and Public Involvement Forum. His daughter attends a local school and his wife is a children's nurse.

On his selection, Simon said:

"I am committed to improving the quality of life for all those living in Hanworth Park and Feltham. My priorities will be to get the dangerous potholes in our roads repaired, action on crime and anti-social behaviour and a clean-up of Hanworth Park. Local people are fed up of being taken for granted by Labour and Tories, inactive councillors and an ineffective MP who have neglected our area. Hanworth Park deserves a local voice that will stand up for local people."

He added,

"I am very keen to consult with local people and have put out a survey on crime in our area which seems to be a particular concern for many. I look forward to receiving the responses and will make sure residents' views are heard and acted on."

Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Feltham and Heston, Munira Hassam said,

"Simon will make an excellent councillor for Hanworth Park. His community involvement has shown how passionate he is about making Hanworth Park and Feltham a better place to live. Local people have shown they have little confidence in Labour after years of neglect on the council. The Tories have proved no better in their first year of running the council, with a series of cuts and lack of action on basic problems such as the terrible state of the roads. Simon Martin will add to the principled and effective opposition on the council to get the best deal for local people."