THE candidates who will be fighting next month’s Windermere by-elections have been announced.

The by-elections were called following the sudden death of Coun Jo Stephenson in July.

Lib Dem Coun Stephenson was county councillor for Windermere and also represented Windermere Town on South Lakeland District Council (SLDC).

The Liberal Democrat candidate for Cumbria County Council has been announced as Coun Colin Jones and for SLDC the party is putting forward Dyan Jones.

Representing the Conservatives will be Ben Berry for the county council seat and Sandra Lilley for SLDC. The candidates agree that the controversial county council plan to introduce on-street parking charges is the biggest issue facing the area.

The Lib Dem-controlled South Lakeland local committee upheld the decision to introduce parking meters at The Glebe last month.

But Coun Colin Jones disagrees with the Lib Dem line saying: “I’m totally opposed to the charges and spoke against them at the Marchesi Centre meeting in June.”

Coun Jones is a Windermere town councillor and represents Bowness North on SLDC after being elected in 2013.

He said: “Over the next month I’m going to be very busy knocking on doors and if anyone wants to discuss an issue I’m very happy to talk to them.”

Also vying for the county seat will be Coun Ben Berry, the youngest SLDC councillor at 26.

The young entrepreneur, who represents the Windermere Applethwaite and Troutbeck ward, said he was “really happy to be fighting for Windermere. There are some big issues that need fighting for, the main one being on-street parking charges, which people are really angry about.”

Lib Dem district council candidate Dyan Jones makes a return to the fold after leaving Windermere Town Council several years ago due to family commitments.

He said: “I have always been a supporter of the Lib Dems in this area and I believe they do the right thing for this community.

“Windermere is a lovely place to live but it has problems because it’s rural and I’d like to help with those problems.”

Conservative candidate Sandra Lilley has served for almost three years on the town council and fought a previous by-election in 2012 but was defeated by Coun Stephenson.

“This time will be different because I know what I’m doing,” she said. “I’m more confident and my approach to people is better.

Also fighting for the vacant seats will be Gwen Harrison for the Green Party in both elections and Robert Graham Judson as an independent candidate in the county council race.

The by-elections will be held on October 5.