There are six candidates fighting it out for two seats in Ely South

Sarah Fraser (Lab)

Mrs Fraser is married with a daughter at Ely St John’s School and has worked for BT for the past 23 years, currently as a network engineering manager.

She has a keen interest in gardening and is a member of Ely Allotments Association as well as being active in Sing! Ely.

Priority local issues for her are cleaning up the local area with improvements in enforcement of environmental offences like dog fouling and improving street cleaning provision.

She would also campaign to maintain and expand NHS services offered at the POW Hospital.

Madeleine Funnell (Lib Dem)

Ms Funnell has lived in Ely since 1985 from the age of 16, having spent her childhood in Cornwall. She lives in Ely North with her primary school teacher partner; her son currently attends Ely College. After working in the health sector for six years, she works part-time as a qualified counsellor, psychotherapist and hypnotherapist and has run her own practice for 11 years. Her latest venture is working in partnership producing the Elyi Magazine, delivered to 9,000 local residents. Her decision to stand for the council was ignited by a passion to enhance the city, to represent people’s views and to make a difference. She would love to see the city centre fully utilised while fitting in with the traditional architecture that already exists. She is passionate about education and believes that local children should have the best possible education with a safe infrastructure supporting and surrounding our local schools. She wants to ensure that when the new bypass is built, consideration is given not only to easing traffic congestion but also protecting local wildlife. If elected, she will apply common sense and listening skills, and find a way forward that meets the needs of the people of Ely.

Coralie Green (Con)

Mrs Green has lived in East Cambridgeshire for 24 years, the last nine in Ely, and would like the opportunity to speak up for Ely people. Whilst raising her family she spent 14 years volunteering for Ely Citizens Advice Bureau and fundraising for local organisations. She now works part time at Ely Cathedral and is an administrator for Ely Cathedral Business Group, a voluntary organisation dedicated to strengthening links between business and thriving communities. She is married to a farmer and her three children were educated in Ely.

She said: “I love Ely, it is a wonderful place to live and bring up a family – I would like to help Ely grow and develop in a way that benefits everyone.”

Tom Hunt (Con)

Mr Hunt was elected in 2011, and at 22 became the youngest Councillor in East Cambridgeshire’s history; youth issues remain one of his top priorities.

He has played a key role in establishing the first council led apprenticeship fund. He also launched an enterprise forum, bringing together businesses and education providers.

Mr Hunt said: “It has been a privilege to represent Ely South over the past 4 years. I promised to do everything I could to secure the Ely Bypass and I am delighted that planning permission has been given. I’m also very excited about the new multi-screen cinema and will do everything I can to ensure it happens sooner rather than later.”

Richard Morgan (Lib Dem)

Mr Morgan has been associated with Ely City and cathedral since 1979. He has spent the last eight years as a member of Ely Diocesan Houses Committee where he has been active with others in buying, selling, building and making good clergy houses and their environment. Mr Morgan is concerned that Ely’s continual growth in housing has not always benefited everyone. The lack of places for children in local primary schools; the long waiting lists to see the doctor; the traffic queues in and around St John’s Road during term-time; the 12 year wait for streets to be adopted; and speed on Witchford Road, Norfolk Road, and St John’s Road are just a few of the things he feels the current council have failed to address during the past four years. Mr Morgan believes Ely needs a new kind of politics and having spoken to many fellow residents, has first-hand knowledge of the concerns local people have and what he wants to help change. He believes Ely needs councillors who will stand up to housing developers and insist that more homes are affordable, pavements and paths are built early, rather than not at all, and houses are built to higher environmental standards.

Theresa Panton (Lab)

Having lived and worked in Scotland, Theresa and her family moved back to Ely. Mrs Panton’s background is working in social and residential care.

She has a particular concern about care provision in the area especially as the population grows.

It is important to have a plan to deal with the proposed new housing and out of town developments and to make sure that local facilities and services match that growth, she says.