Former community contact officer for the police, Angie Walters, 66, young mother Rosemary Paget-Crowe and botanical illustrator Sarah Mead, 39, are the latest to discard the party system in an attempt to better represent the people of the market town.

Although the candidates do not belong to a party, their candidacies were announced in a joint statement and there is also a website dedicated to the new batch of prospective independent councillors.
However, Mrs Walters, eho worked for Cambirdgeshire Constabulary for six years, stressed that despite the teamwork she was an entirely independent candidate.

She said: "We are a group of people who have got together to help each other in the run-up to election because it's easier to do it as a group than on your own.

"But if we are elected we won't have a political party saying 'say that vote for that'. I will be working independently for the people of the town."

As well as campaigning together, there are also shared concerns about public transport in St Ives and particularly the Guided Bus.

Rosemary Paget-Crowe said: "Good transport links are essential for any thriving economy. I look forward to the guided bus and hope it enables everybody, at all levels of mobility, to make sound environmental choices about travel.

"Local townspeople have a vested interest in the success of this project and should be able to have their concerns represented and acted upon by an interested and involved town council."

Mrs Walter expressed reservations about the busway and said she wanted the town council to take a more active role in finding out what would happen to vital existing routes to Fenstanton and Bar Hill once the Guided Buses are up and running.

Sarah Mead - who as a mother is also concerned about the lack of facilities for young people in the town - added: "Allowing passengers direct access to the town centre will encourage new shops and businesses into the town and help maintain the quality and choice of shops already here.

"It is therefore vital that the town council attends local liaison meetings about the Guided Bus and about Northstowe and gets involved in discussion on all issues which can potentially affect St Ives."

All of the 16 seats on the town council are up for election in May. The town is split into three wards: South (6 seats), East (6 seats) and North (4). The current make-up of the council is 12 Conservatives, three Liberal Democrats and one independent, Brian Luter, who recently announced his split from the Tories.
Further information on the independents is at www.i4si.org