On May 6 all 16 wards will have a seat up for grabs in the Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council elections - with Welham Green and Hatfield South ward having two.
Of the 17 seats up for election, there are 10 Conservative seats, four Labour seats and three Liberal Democrat seats.
The WHT has given each candidate the opportunity to tell you why they are running.
They are listed alphabetically by surname:
Margaret Eames-Petersen – Labour
"I moved to Hatfield as a lecturer at the University in 1993. I am proud to have been the Mayor of Hatfield over the last difficult year and have always stood up for our town, when it needed it, and while others ignored important issues, I’ve facilitated Hatfield’s Friendship House to have a new lease of life in 2021 when WHBC let it down.
"I led the campaign to stop the quarry in Ellenbrook fields and am pushing the Borough to establish the promised Ellenbrook Park, and to collaborate with Environment Agency to enable better remediation of the Bromate underground to protect Hatfield’s future water supply.
"There is concern at the lack of community facilities and over-stretched GP services in Hatfield North. Much-needed community facilities must accompany the new proposed housing development. I will work vigilantly to make Hatfield a better place and with your support I want to deliver the services that residents deserve."
Adam Edwards – Liberal Democrats
"I've lived in Birchwood since 1989. This is my community and I want the very best for our area for me, my family and all my neighbours.
"Hatfield needs strong voices to stand up for everyone who lives here. Strong voices to fight even harder for what is a special place. That's why I'm standing in the Council election.
"I have been campaigning for the past twelve years to see upgraded paths and pavements, benefiting the elderly, parents with pushchairs, people in disabled buggies and those who cycle. If we are to combat obesity and pollution, we need more people walking and cycling, leaving the roads less congested for those who have to use a car or van. I am the chair of Welwyn Hatfield Cycling.
"My greatest strength may well be my normality. I am a dad before anything else. I hate injustice and unfairness. I will always listen to you, try to understand your problems and work alongside you to try to resolve them."
Samuel Kasumu – Conservatives
"I have been a borough councillor for Hatfield Villages ward since 2018. In that time I’ve helped people in my ward with a great number of issues, from day-to-day matters to larger scale issues like scaling back development in Lemsford or helping to defeat the hated Ellenbrook mineral quarry.
"I’ve also been involved in setting up and growing a number of initiatives to support the progression of Brits at a more nationwide level. This includes setting up a student network connecting peers with employers whilst at university that grew to 30,000 members. I went on to set up and run a campaign that supported over 8000 start-up businesses.
"I also supported Richard Fuller MP in setting up the Bedford Small Business Fund, and was lucky enough to be recognised as one of the top 3 role models in the UK by Amway International. Of course, I remain hugely committed to the residents in my ward and making sure you get the best from the borough council, and if you re-elect me I’ll continue to back you and your family up when it matters."
Andreas Kukol – Green Party
"I am bioscience lecturer standing for the Green Party in Welwyn Hatfield because I care about local issues such as high council tax, isolated housing developments in the green belt and improving the cycle network. I will seek transparency on the contribution of big companies to the council tax compared to the area’s local residents.
"My long-term vision is a real change of UK politics to a fairer society - prioritising healthcare, environment, welfare and fair employment. International politics should respect other nations and refrain from military campaigns, which have impacted other countries negatively and contributed to the rise of international terrorism."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here