Ferryhill by-election candidates set out their campaigns

The by-election tomorrow (Thursday, March 24) was called following the death of veteran councillor Brian Avery last October.

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Conservative candidate Dave Farry, 59, is mayor of Ferryhill and previously served as an independent councillor.

He said the change to a new joint administration under Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Independent leadership offered a "genuine input" in decision-making, working with MPs and other councillors.

The dad-of-two and former subpostmaster said: "You can see these changes being made now and I just want to be part of these changes.

"We want to try and get regeneration back in.

"I'm a big supporter of reopening the rail station which I've been campaigning for for 15 years. Bus services are getting reduced. We're hoping to get that rectified and get those transport links back in."

He highlighted selective licensing, tackling anti-social behaviour, CCTV, highways, traffic management, renewable energy and sustainability as issues in his campaign.

He was censured and instructed to carry out code of conduct training by the county council's Standards Committee in September 2019 after complaints were upheld against him. Mr Farry disputed all of the complaints and now says he "drew a line under it and moved on".

Labour candidate Curtis Bihari, communications officer at the Ferryhill Sport and Education Centre, is the youngest prospective councillor at 25, and is also on Ferryhill Town Council.

He said: "The main thing we're hearing is anti-social behaviour. 

"We've had the Police and Chief Commissioner (PCC Joy Allen) with us. My approach is just to make sure all the relevant agencies are pulling their weight together. The police, the housing providers, the local authority."

Labour candidate Curtis Bihari. Picture: Curtis Bihari.

He also spoke of the cost of living crisis, "making sure Ferryhill gets its fair share", and looking to the future following Labour's losses last May.

He added: "This is the first by-election since then and we've got to show that we're still there to win, we're still going strong. We need to show people we've changed.

"We're going to listen to people."

Green Party candidate Rebecca Dixon-McWaters, 30, says: "We really need to have someone who's relatable."

As a single mum living on Universal Credit in social housing, she says she wants to "stand up for the little man" and "make the area better for the younger generation".

She said: "I stand for the everyday working person. Young people who are just trying to get through and make their own way in life.

"I want Ferryhill to be that gorgeous old oak tree but I want to plant that little seed and let it flourish."

Anti-social behaviour also features in her campaign, along with jobs, transport, litter, green spaces, road safety, and "working with the relevant agencies to make sure houses are fit to live in".

She said: "The junctions around Ferryhill are horrendous. You put your life in your hands. It's something that really needs to be addressed."

Bill Thorkildsen is standing for the Liberal Democrats while Kaela Banthorpe is standing for the Freedom Alliance.

Mum-of-two Ms Banthorpe, 46, said: "I feel very strongly particularly for our children that they've had a really rough deal over the last two years.

"Businesses have been destroyed, family relationships, communities have been broken up, people have been isolated. People have become unwell and unable to access the NHS. The harms have been absolutely huge."

"We've had the lockdowns and I believe that no government really has the right to have that overreach into our lives."

She also referred to local anti-social behaviour and said she wanted people to have a better say in local decision-making and spending, "going grass roots again and going back to the people".

She campaigned to keep schools open and remove masks, testing and other restrictions from schools, opposes Covid vaccination for children and argues information should be more readily available for people to make informed choices.

Two Independent candidates are standing - Joe Makepeace and Glenys Newby.

Mr Makepeace, 68, deputy mayor of Ferryhill, grandfather-of-three and retired nurse, also highlighted anti-social behaviour and drugs, "which seems at times to go unchecked".

"Officers on the ground seem to me to be a better answer," he said.

"The town centre needs to be smartened up. That's well overdue now."

He also spoke of parking and access to Dean Bank, expressing concerns for emergency service vehicles.

He too wants to reopen the Ferryhill railway station and the Leamside line: "If we had a rail link I think we'd all benefit from that so that's one of the longer term issues I would like to see through.

"I genuinely want to see Ferryhill progress. I'm in it for the long haul."

Ms Newby, 55, founder of the Approach Too community interest company, said: "I think as an Independent councillor I'll have a freedom to vote on issues from my local knowledge of need.

"It's fighting for a better environment for all of Ferryhill. A better, safer, cleaner environment.

"I'm really keen on enhancements to how our town looks because that's important to raise aspirations and bringing opportunities for our community."

"That includes tackling things like flytipping, holding irresponsible landlords and tenants to account, that can make neighbours' lives a complete misery."

She advocates strong partnership working to tackle anti-social behaviour.

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