A former town mayor and a political debutant will go head-to-head in a by-election for the vacant Alton Whitedown seat on Alton Town Council on June 11.

Ginny Boxall, who held the chain of office during her last year on the council in 2022-23, is standing for the Liberal Democrats against Independent candidate Madi Allen.

Stating her case to return to the town council, Ginny Boxall said: “I chose to step up to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of the very well respected Labour councillor Jan Treacher, whom I greatly respect, and the circumstances which led to her resignation were personally troubling to me.

“Having been a Whitedown councillor, both at town level and at district, I felt that my residents deserved to be able to vote for an experienced councillor, and I care deeply about Alton and want only the best outcome for the town and its residents.

“I have been greatly encouraged by the warm response on the doors, as I have personally been out and about and have spoken to many of my Whitedown residents.

“We have a lot of challenges ahead for Alton and I hope my experience will be helpful to the town council. I will as ever endeavour to give of my best for residents, and if fortunate to be elected will serve all residents, regardless of whether or not they have voted for me.”

Madi Allen is 25, works in horticulture at the Heckfield Place hotel near Hook, and has been a member of the King’s Pond Preservation Society for two years.

She said: “I want to join Alton Town Council because there needs to be a more diverse range of age groups. Since moving to Alton I’ve got into local politics because of the King’s Pond situation and I don’t think the people are being listened to.

“The motion that was agreed by which amendments to recommendations must be submitted 48 hours in advance is just not democracy.

“If you cannot have these conversations in person, you shouldn’t be on the town council. Otherwise everything has to be discussed in advance, everything is pre-determined. The people deserve to be in the room when the people supposedly representing them are making these decisions.

“The current town councillors have forgotten their duties lie with the people. They form an opinion and that’s it. I think the only way we’re going to make change is if someone starts that process. Even if I don’t get elected, if I can just open the door a crack by running then it’s worth it.”