ELECTION SPOTLIGHT: Shaun Hope

In the weeks and days leading up to the May 5 election The Hunsbury Herald will be focusing on the candidates hoping to serve their respective councils in our area.
We have offered each candidate in our region - in both South Northamptonshire District Council and Northampton Borough Council - the chance to write 150-200 words saying why they should be elected.
First up is South Northamptonshire District Council candidate for Harpole & Grange, Shaun Hope.

Name: Shaun Hope
Party: Liberal Democrats
Ward: Harpole & Grange
Shaun Hope has been a parish councillor in Milton Malsor for eight years. He has lived in Milton for 36 years and is married with four grown-up children and a grandson aged 16 months.
Shaun worked for many years as a company director in the chemicals industry and most recently in the Vice-Chancellor’s department at Cranfield University.
Shaun is for standing in the Harpole and Grange ward covering Milton Malsor, Rothersthorpe, Gayton, Kislingbury and Harpole.
What do the Lib Dems stand for in South Northants?
Shaun said: "One-party states are not democratic. The Conservatives have run South Northants Council without an effective opposition for far too long.
"Recently local residents have become dissatisfied with the arbitrary decision to move the council from Springfields into the centre of Towcester. This has been done without proper consultation.
"For years as a parish councillor I have challenged South Northants Council on many of its planning decisions. I would like the opportunity to get closer to the planning process, and to have access to the council files without having to submit endless Freedom of Information requests.
"Without an effective opposition a council becomes lazy and flabby – time for a change."