Dear Resident, With Devon County Council elections happening on the 1st May, you will likely hear a lot from all of the candidates, including me.

Full statement

I am Lisa Mackenzie your local Conservative Candidate for Barnstaple North in the coming local elections.
Many people have asked why I would like to be a councillor and my answer is a simple one - community. I was born and raised in Barnstaple and I feel so lucky to call it my home. I grew up in Forches and realised early on that I wanted to help people. I have worked as a presenter on the Voice, with North Devon Theatres, fundraising for the North Devon Hospice and helped re-launch Barnstaple in Bloom.
My priorities are your priorities.
It's always been a passion to make a difference. As a councillor I would use my life experience to help more.
Devon County Council, like most councils, are in a difficult financial position. Rising costs, ageing population, reduced government support and an expectation that councils should be doing more with less. Despite what many may think about the Conservatives and the performance of our Conservative led County Council, we are in a far better position than many. That is purely down to the strong local leadership and financial management here in Devon. It isn’t sexy or exciting, but we have lived within our means where others have failed. Financial mismanagement in local government has led to rubbish piling up on the streets of Labour-run Birmingham and reduced services, crippling parking charges for motorists and council tax ris-ing by three times the rate of inflation in Lib Dem-run Somerset.
I fear that if the Lib Dems take over Devon County Council, they will do the same here. They have a track record of bold but often unachievable promises funded by spiralling debt. This is exactly what they did the last time they ran Devon, leaving behind more than £460 million of long-term, interest-only loans. At £21m per year, that’s over £300m in interest payments that has not been available for services since 2009. That’s a lot of potholes that could have been fixed! The first loan matures in March 2027, a Lib Dem legacy debt bomb waiting to explode – yet more money not available to deliver services to you.
I want to ensure your County Council invests in Barnstaple; promotes our rural and tourist economy; supports our environment but without punishing car owners; reduces bureaucracy and red tape to help residents.
I do hope you will consider lending me your support.
Lisa Mackenzie
Conservative Party Candidate for Barnstaple North
fb.com/LisaMackenzieBarnstaple
Promoted by Jon Daniel on behalf of Lisa Mackenzie both of the North Devon Conservatives Association, The Strand North Devon, EX31 1EU.