Meet the four candidates standing in the Barleythorpe by-election for Rutland County Council
Following the departure of Green Party councillor Hans Zollinger-Ball from Rutland County Council, four candidates are standing in the subsequent by-election for the Barleythorpe Ward, hoping to gain a spot in Rutland County Council.
The by-election will take place on Thursday 24th July with details of how to register to vote, proxy and postal vote on the Rutland County Council website.
Four candidates are standing: Andy Burton (Independent), Andrew Dinsmore (Conservative), Declan McCarthy (Reform UK) and David Nichols (Liberal Democrats).
Here is what we know about each candidate ahead of the election:
Andy Burton (Independent)
Having previously served as a parish councillor in Barleythorpe, Andy has lived in the area for the last six years and has been thoroughly involved in the local community, also serving on Oakham Town Council. Before moving to the area, he was also a town councillor in East Riding.
Andy has over 20 years' experience in local government, having been portfolio holders for Community Engagement, Adult Education, Economic Development and Planning previously.
Outside of local politics, Andy has spent his working life working in agriculture, spending a lot of time working on the technical aspects of crop production, soil sciences, crop nutrients, and the use of bio-stimulants.
He also returned to university as a mature student and achieved his master's degree in politics, focussing on how local governments engage with residents.
In his election campaign, Andy said: "I live in Barleythorpe and have the same issues and concerns that you have. I, like you, wonder when we will ever get the roads and infrastructure adopted by Rutland County Council on the Oakham Heights development.
"We live in a very safe community here in Barleythorpe but it would be nice to see more police presence in the village, I can't remember when I last saw the police in Barleythorpe.
"I'm very concerned about the flooding issues affecting properties along the Brook running through the estate. When I joined the parish council last year I formed a flood resilience group to highlight the problems caused by the flooding that brought such distress to residents affected by the floods and as chair of that group I have had many discussions with our MP, the Chief Executive of Rutland County Council, Highways, Planning, the Environment Agency and developers to try to broker a solution to the flooding problems in Barleythorpe."
Andrew Dinsmore (Conservative)
Conservative candidate Andrew Dinsmore also has experience in local councils and has previously been elected as a Councillor at Fulham Town Council in 2022.
He also ran in the 2024 Parliamentary General Election of Hammersmith and Chiswick but was not elected.
Andrew lives in Rutland with his wife, son and two dogs and works as a barrister.
Andrew has been indorsed by local MP and fellow Conservative Alicia Kearns, saying: "I need a Council who will work with me, not against me. Andrew Dinsmore wants to make sure your voice is heard at RCC. He's been a Councillor before, and coupled with his skills as a Barrister, he'll get cracking on the issues that matter most to you.
"You deserve someone who gets your voice heard, has the experience to get things done, and is a decent and kind person who cares about listening to residents."
Declan McCarthy (Reform UK)
Declan McCarthy is standing as a candidate for Reform UK in the by-election.
He is a former teacher, headteacher and long-standing Ofsted inspector and now works as an education consultant and is the director of an independent school for pupils with special educational needs.
Outside of politics, Declan is a grandfather and lives with his rescue dog Ollie. He enjoys singing, gardening and cooking.
Declan has been endorsed by the local Reform UK Group, saying: "Declan has a great deal of experience serving on governing bodies, both within maintained and independent school sectors, in various capacities as a parent governor, a foundation governor and a community governor in different schools.
"Declan is fully committed to Reform UK's values of putting the interests of the family, the local community, and the country first by applying common sense solutions to policies which seek to restore our country to greatness and prosperity.
"Declan is aware of a lot of the issues that concern Barleythorpe residents, including, flooding, new housing developments, roads and pavements and of course the unaffordable council tax levels, but plans to learn as much as possible as he intends to set up local surgeries where residents can come and meet him to express any concerns about council services or issues in Barleythorpe or just to pop in for a chat while they are out and about."
David Nichols (Liberal Democrats)
Dr David Nichols is a lecturer at the University of Leicester and is standing as the Liberal Democrat candidate in the election.
According to Dr Nichols, he was motivated to stand because of the actions of previous and present national governments, saying: "After decades of underinvestment and complacency from the Conservatives, both locally and nationally, we're left paying some of the highest council tax bills in the country, while services are cut and facilities – like our much-loved leisure centre, where I was a member – are forced to close. Many of us hoped that a Labour government might finally deliver the support we need, but things have only got worse.
"That's why I'm standing for election – to give our community, and our county, the strong local voice we need fighting for us."
Dr Nichols has lived in the area for the last 15 years and hopes to improve Rutland for the next generation.
According to the local Liberal Democrats group, David's priorities are bringing the roads and pavements up to standard, improving local access to NHS services, protecting green spaces, holding developers accountable for local communities and, if he is elected, hopes to hold regular advice surgeries so residents can have direct access and clear conversations with their representatives.
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To find out more about registering to vote in the by-election and more, visit the Rutland County Council by-election website.
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