Some Whittlesey voters can have their say on who represents them at all levels of government when they go to the polls next Thursday (May 7).

Those living in the Whittlesey North Division will, like everyone else, be voting for an MP to represent the North East Cambs constituency, and representatives for town and district councils, but they also get to choose a new county councillor.

There is a by-election in the North Division caused by the resignation of Martin Curtis who resigned, with immediate affect, in March saying he could no longer give the time necessary to fulfil the role properly.

He served the North Division for 10 years and was county council leader from May last year until his resignation.

Three candidates are vying for the seat: Chris Boden (Con)

Mr Boden, 54, lives in Bassenhally Road, and currently serves as a non-executive board member of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Clinical Commissioning Group, where he has responsibility for performance and finance.

He has a wider background in finance, having years of experience in both private industry and in local government. In the private sector, he worked for 25 years in the freight transport industry, and currently he is a director of an internet start-up company providing translation and interpreting services. In the public sector, Mr Boden served for eight years as a local councillor before moving to Whittlesey, including three years experience as the executive member for finance for a borough council in Kent. He is also a Freeman of the City of London and has served for two years as a Corporation of London Common Councilman.

David Chapman (Lib Dem)

David Chapman has lived in Whittlesey for almost 40 years, where he had a factory for almost 30 years, and is married with two grown up daughters. David was a district councillor for four years, a town councillor for 12 years, and chairman for three years. His interests are architecture, buildings, history and the environment, and he paints to fill up some of his spare time in retirement.

Paul Edwards (UKIP)

Mr Edwards has a background in the care industry but he is originally a mechanical engineer.

His priority is to support Andrew Charalambous’s campaign for the upgrade and modernising of Wisbech town centre.

That’s why they are standing together for UKIP as Medworth Councillors. North East Cambs needs a positive plan to attract investment, he says.

He previously stood for the Conservatives but switched to UKIP because he believes Nigel Farage is the only straight talking British political leader.

Politics should be all about local community, and only UKIP will restore some of the moral values which made this country great, he says.

From potholes to lack of affordable housing, the local Tories have taken votes for granted, he says. A vote for UKIP will mean a fresh start not only for our community and our country, but for you and your families.

He says vote for him if you want real positive change.