THREE candidates standing in a by-election for Saddleworth Parish Council have stated their cases after being selected.
Voters in the Diggle and Dobcross ward will go back to the polls on November 9 after Grotton-based Graham Talboys-Smith stood down, feeling the area would be better served by someone more local.
Now the three major political parties have revealed their candidates, with Hannah Roberts, Max Woodvine and Lynne Thompson standing.
And they have all told Saddleworth Independent of what they hope to achieve.
Labour’s Hannah said: “I have lived in Saddleworth for more than 20 years and brought up my family here.

“My son attended Saddleworth School and Oldham Sixth Form College. I was Treasurer of his school PTA and on the Committee of the Delph Youth Band.
“I campaign to clean up Saddleworth’s rivers and set up the petition calling on United Utilities to stop discharging sewage into the River Tame.
“I support permanent 20mph zones in all Saddleworth villages, including extending the limit to Diggle.
“I was proud to organise Tea for Trussell events to support the Trussell Trust and Oldham Food Bank, helping to raise hundreds of pounds for the Trust.
“I will work hard and take up the issues local people think are important continuing to campaign for a new health centre for Saddleworth and protecting Saddleworth’s Green Belt and green spaces.”
Hannah’s candidacy is backed by Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams, who said: “Hannah is hard working and lives locally. She cares passionately about Saddleworth and will be a good Parish Councillor for Dobcross and Diggle.”
Conservative Max, who is an Oldham borough councillor for Saddleworth South, hopes to get back on to the parish authority, which he sat on from 2019 to earlier this year.

As the representative for Dobcross and Diggle, he helped positive initiatives, such as securing the Parish Council’s signature to the Armed Forces Covenant and pushing forward green projects through the Charter for Trees.
He said: “I have many fond memories of living in Diggle in my formative years, and consider myself very fortunate to have always lived in Saddleworth.
“It was a source of significant pride to represent the villages I love on the Parish Council and I hope to do this again very soon with your support in the upcoming by-electon.”
Liberal Democrat Lynne has lived in Saddleworth for almost 50 years ago and narrowly missed out in the vote earlier this year.

Describing herself as, ‘a committed local campaigner in Saddleworth North, supporting borough and parish colleagues, since standing down from Oldham Council to put family first for a time,’ she has a list of priorities for the villages.
They are the environment – both cleanliness and defending our green space from over development, boosting local NHS treatment in a full-service health centre, road safety – especially curbing speeding, defending Saddleworth traditions like the band contests and remembrance ceremonies and local policing in a Saddleworth police station.
Her candidacy is backed by borough councillor Garth Harkness, who said: “Lynne is the obvious person for the job.
“She is an experienced councillor, committed to improving our local area and a constant reporter of potholes, faulty street lights and such.”
People will be able to cast their vote can vote early by post or in person on the day. Anyone voting on November 9 is reminded to take voter ID.
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