Here are the Labour candidates fighting in the Wealden District Council elections

The party has put forward 27 candidates to fight for seats on the council, which represents residents in Crowborough, Hailsham, Heathfield, Uckfield, Herstmonceux Polegate, Pevensey Bay and more.

A spokesperson for Wealden Labour Party said, “Labour in Wealden is witnessing a rising tide of support evidenced by its Uckfield Town Council by-election victory in Uckfield North last summer.

“Fielding candidates throughout most of the district and campaigning actively in many wards, it has been buoyed up by a large increase in membership since four years ago.

“We will be looking to provide a constructive alternative to the present overwhelming Conservative presence of 48 out of 55 members on the District Council.

“Our policy is that the Government’s austerity policies should be reversed, and that, meanwhile, much more could be done at a local level to mitigate austerity’s worst effects – particularly in housing, social care, education, health and policing – even when some of these are the responsibility of other authorities within the system.

“We seek to end complacency, work with others and actively lobby at District, County and Central Government levels in the interest of all Wealden residents.”

Below is a list of the Labour candidates and which seats they are hoping to win.

Buxted: Mark Chapman

Chiddingly, East Hoathly & Waldron: Rupert Wilkinson

Crowborough Central: Michael Coyne

Crowborough Jarvis Brook: David Neeves

Crowborough North: Anthony Stevenson

Crowborough South East: Stuart Snowden

Crowborough South West: Brendan Clegg

Framfield and Cross in Hand: Laura Burstow

Frant and Wadhurst: Felicity Harvest and Christopher Morris

Hailsham Central: Kay Coxon

Hailsham North: Malcolm Richards

Hailsham South: Josh Funnell

Hailsham West: Laura Jordan

Heathfield North: Greg Savva

Heathfield South: David Newman

Hellingly: Janet Perez

Herstmonceux and Pevensey Levels: Barry Simons

Horam and Punnetts Town: Jonathan Prus, Tony Watson

Maresfield: George Wilson

Mayfield and Five Ashes: Jason Scott-Taggart

Pevensey Bay: Aaron McConnell

Polegate North: Alex Mthobi

Uckfield New Town: Ben Cox

Uckfield North: Angie Smith

Uckfield Ridgewood and Little Horsted: Tony Fielding

In the upcoming elections, there are 44 Conservative candidates, 27 Labour, 25 Green Party, 24 Liberal Democrats, five standing for UKIP and 11 independent candidates standing in total.

The full list of candidates is available here.

This newspaper has contacted each party putting forward candidates in the Wealden District Council elections. But contact [email protected] if you are a Wealden party or candidate and would like to be included in our coverage.