The Liberal Democrat constituency party has issued a press release that I am posting here.

Liberal Democrat candidates for Elsenham and Henham double by-elections chosen; nominations accepted by council on Monday

LIBERAL Democrats in Uttlesford have put their faith in Lorraine (Lori) Flawn and Sinead Holland to fight the upcoming double by-election in the Elsenham and Henham ward.

Both women have strong and long local connections. Sinead Holland was brought up in Uttlesford. Her family still lives in Elsenham, where the family business is based. Sinead was until recently a reporter and news editor for a long-established local newspaper and wrote countless columns about ‘Hellsenham’ to galvanise opposition. The mother of three now works in marketing for a local business, lives in Stansted and is eager to continue the fight.

Lori Flawn has lived in adjoining Takeley for over 30 years with her husband, son and lately a German shepherd, Stig. Lori, who previously worked for BT as an adviser on policy and regulation, is now a part-time driving instructor. Her son went to the local primary school followed by secondary school in Newport. Lori is keen to see a resurgence of integrity in public life and a fully transparent local planning process.

Lorraine (Lori) Flawn

Sinead Holland

Former Liberal Democrat district councillor for Elsenham & Henham, David Morson, said: “I am delighted that Sinead and Lori will be standing in these elections. Sinead has been a dogged champion for both villages in her former role as a journalist. Her articles documented the major shortcomings of the ‘Hellsenham’ project dreamed up by the Tories. Her well-researched accounts encouraged and sustained support for Lib Dem District councillors in their fight against developers.

“I have known Lori since I was first elected to the council in 1995. She has been an outstanding local worker in supporting Lib Dem councillors and their work in the community. Her skills of advocacy, her experience of the district plus her many personal contacts in the ward will enable her to be a most effective voice for Elsenham and Henham in the council.”

Lib Dem Catherine Dean, who represented Elsenham & Henham with David Morson until 2011, added “I was in at the start of the fight against ‘Hellsenham’ in 2007. Ten years later, the battle goes on against this ridiculously inaccessible proposed development. I know that Lorraine Flawn and Sinead Holland are well suited to continuing the fight.”

The two local women are hoping to continue the work of former councillors Morson and Dean and their Liberal Democrat successors, Lizzy Parr and Rory Gleeson, who both work in the health service and have found combining the duties of a district councillor difficult to fit in with the shifts and training needs of their jobs. As a result, they have felt honour bound to resign and hope to pass the banner to two new members of the Liberal Democrat local team that has successfully worked with residents to defend the villages against a disastrous new town for a decade. They know the fight has only just begun…

ENDS

Notes: ‘Hellsenham’ is the name given to a large, new settlement between Elsenham and Henham put forward by Uttlesford Conservatives in 2007 but rejected by a government inspector in a failed Local Plan that was withdrawn by the council in January 2015.