VOTERS are getting ready to go the polls today in the North Yorkshire County Council elections.

There are 72 county council seats in total, and the authority is currently controlled by the Conservatives, with 44 seats.

There are six seats or 'divisions' in Ryedale - Hovingham and Sheriff Hutton; Kirkbymoorside; Norton; Malton; Pickering; and Thornton-le-Dale and The Wolds.

If you haven't decided who will get your vote, this might help as candidates standing in these divisions tell readers of the Gazette & Herald why they deserve your vote.

Hovingham and Sheriff Hutton Division

Caroline Goodrick (Conservatives)

Caroline and her family have lived in North Yorkshire for most of their lives and have a rural business employing local people. She remains a staunch and involved supporter of local events and activities. Her career has spanned work in advertising, recruitment, finance and civil engineering. Through both their business and personal interests Caroline has come to understand, and indeed share, many of your concerns. Regular attendance at parish council meetings and good communication with residents enables her to address many issues in the villages. An active campaigner, Caroline fights hard for just causes with a plain-speaking, no-nonsense approach, but insists on knowing all the facts and advocates for common sense and balanced debate. Caroline believes strongly that being a councillor means listening to and representing people of all political persuasions and acting for the benefit of the community as a whole to attain the best possible results.

Mike Potter (Liberals)

I fully support the Liberal policies including those below.

• Liberals opposed selling off Wentworth Street Car Park. My election to RDC coincided with the end of the supermarket plan.

• Liberals called for the abolition of district councils (including Ryedale) - a saving of £20 to £40 million every year across North Yorkshire. A third of this money would reverse the library and bus cuts.

• Liberals proposed “Ryedale District Council calls for a five-year moratorium on fracking in Ryedale”. We won.

• I have campaigned on flooding issues for 11 years. Flood defences must work with the natural environment. ‘Slow the Flow’ in Pickering is better than massive concrete walls ‘destroying’ an ancient market town.

As a Liberal candidate I make only three promises:

1) To work hard

2) To be honest

3) To ask the awkward questions

Please support me on May 4.

Chris Pickles (Liberal Democrats)

My wife and I have lived in Gilling for over forty years and brought up our family here. I was a teacher here for many years and later edited a historical magazine. After my retirement I was chairman of Gilling Village Hall for ten years and am now a parish councillor. I am standing in this election as a Liberal Democrat because of the failure of the Conservative-run County Council to protect us from fracking. The Minerals and Waste plan at present before the Council would allow blanket coverage of most of North Yorkshire with drilling rigs, impacting on landscape, environment, agriculture and tourism, with consequent loss of jobs – a severe disruption to our way of life. Now, more than ever, it is necessary for Councils to husband resources to protect Education, Health and Social Care and to support agriculture and tourism, the means by which we earn our livelihood in this area.

Helen Broxup-Yellen (Labour) - No profile.

Kirkbymoorside Division

Joy Andrews (Liberals)

I would like to take my Ryedale District Council experience to support the Liberal approach on North Yorkshire County Council.

• Affordable housing. The Tories have a target of 75 per year when the need is 278. Liberals propose building only affordable housing until the need is met.

• Liberals call for the abolition of district councils (including Ryedale) - a saving of £20 to £40 million every year across North Yorkshire. A third of this money would reverse the library and bus cuts.

• Liberals proposed that 'Ryedale District Council completely opposes all fracking in Ryedale'. Every Tory councillor voted it down. We later successfully proposed that ‘Ryedale District Council calls for a five year moratorium on fracking in Ryedale’.

As a Liberal candidate I make only three promises:

1) To work hard

2) To be honest

3) To ask the awkward questions

Please support me on May 4.

Val Arnold (Conservatives)

I have had the pleasure of representing the Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley Division for the past 16 years and am at present chairman of North Yorkshire County Council. I will fight to maintain our local services, for both our market towns and the surrounding villages, and I pledge to continue to seek funding for road improvements throughout this division. I will carry on my work to support our schools, libraries and the welfare of the older members of our community with the provision of good support from Social Services. The delivery of essential services to all farmers, tourism and rural businesses as well as residents in remote places remains a priority for me. I will always seek to balance progress with protecting our very special part of North Yorkshire. I will make sure your views are heard at NYCC and I pledge to continue to work hard to be honest and speak up for this community and your family.

Martin Brampton (Green Party)

As a Kirkbymoorside town councillor since 2010, I've had two main priorities. One is openness and democracy. Changes have given citizens greater involvement in council meetings and avoided secrecy. The other is to control costs while improving service provision. Since 2010, the council has cut costs by more than 25% while extending services. I am seeking election to NYCC because I believe a similar approach is needed. NYCC is notoriously unresponsive to citizen concerns and anything but open in the way it conducts itself. On specific policies, I want to oppose fracking, defend school spending against swingeing cuts and protect essential social services. Also, to spend constrained transport funding in imaginative ways and to see decision making over libraries shared with community volunteers. In short, I believe that NYCC needs a more positive outlook and fresh ideas. These can only come from councillors from a different mould.

Vic Hoyland (Labour)

Vic Hoyland lives and works in Kirkbymoorside. His main concerns if elected would be the lack of affordable housing for young people in Kirkbymoorside and the need for a fully integrated transport system. He says: "Stunningly beautiful as this region is, it cannot realise its full potential for tourism and associated industries, when a derisory, dysfunctional and disconnected public transport of such meagre provision is all we have to offer. An integrated Ryedale plan for a reinvigorated public transport system, which links us into the main north-south rail network, is 50 years overdue." He would take a stand against fracking in this area.

Steve Mason (Liberal Democrats)

There is nothing more important to me than my family and my two young boys growing up in Ryedale are my driving force in standing in this election for the Liberal Democrats. I want them to thrive in an open, tolerant and progressive community. I work on various issues and my interest in local politics was sparked by trying to prevent fracking in Ryedale. I take pleasure in helping to raise money through sport, running local tournaments and teams for the benefit of local charities. It is time for change. Division and complacency has led to inaction, if elected I will try to bring common sense to County Hall, by listening to resident concerns and being proactive for the benefit of all. I genuinely believe I have this area’s best interest at heart and will strive to keep it a great place for all.

Malton Division

Lindsay Burr (Independent)

Lindsay has been Malton's Ryedale District Councillor for over 20 years and Malton's County Councillor for the last 4 years. Lindsay is extremely hard working. She has energy, political experience, runs her own businesses and works full time. Lindsay is not afraid to speak out for her residents. She has led many successful campaigns which include saving Malton Hospitals Minor Injury Unit, fighting for flood defences, delivering a sports centre in Malton, going to Westminster to secure millions for road improvements, stopping controversial building on open countryside, to name but a few. Lindsay believes Ryedale needs strong representation at County Hall, and she is the person with a proven track record. Please re-elect Lindsay to continue to work hard for you, and put local people and issues before Westminster politics.

Michael Cleary (Conservatives)

It gives me great pleasure to stand as your Conservative candidate in the forthcoming North Yorkshire County Council elections for the Malton Division. I have lived in this area all of my adult life. I was based in Malton, working as a rural practice surveyor in the surrounding area, for over twenty-five years and now operate in the agricultural and leisure industries. Malton, Old Malton and the 16 village wards are a special mix of town and country with particular needs and qualities which I promise to represent at County Hall and further afield. Working with Ryedale District Council and our MP Kevin Hollinrake I will ensure your money is spent efficiently giving excellent services whilst maintaining the low tax structure you have demanded.

Norton Division

Keane Duncan (Conservatives)

Local born and bred: I was born in Malton Hospital and have lived in Norton all my life. Many of you will know my mum Debbie who worked for 13 years as Norton’s postmistress. A record of action: as a Ryedale District councillor, I have already started work on the issues that matter to you. Working with key decision makers at County Hall, I hope to now push for a ‘long-term’ approach to reducing congestion, action on our roads, and investment in health and education facilities. Your eyes and ears: as a newspaper reporter, it is my job to hold decision makers to account. I will ask the awkward questions on your behalf and let you know what is going on. A new perspective: at the age of 22, I would be North Yorkshire’s youngest county councillor. I hope to offer new ideas and a new approach at County Hall.

Elizabeth Shields (Liberal Democrats)

Elected to the County Council for Norton in 2013, I have had much pleasure in representing you both in the town and its many villages. On my entry to the County, I was offered the Chair of the Children’s and Young People’s Scrutiny Committee. An unexpected honour, it fitted closely with my teaching career and experience in chairing numerous committees. I have also been chairman of Ryedale District Council. My first objective on the County Council, was to save Norton Library, which was under threat of closure by the Conservatives. This has basically been achieved through the determination and hard work of local residents. I now seek your support to make ‘Norton Hive’ a real Community Hub for people from the youngest to the most senior. If elected I will also oppose FRACKING in Ryedale, make sure our Primary Schools are not deprived of essential funding and press for more help for rural problems.

Tim Thornton (Liberals)

I would like to give the people of Norton a new voice on the County Council. An opportunity to promote a Liberal view. Here are some examples:

• Making sure that the potential health impact of fracking is fully monitored. Baseline monitoring must take place in Public Health terms. This will enable NYCC to measure if fracking is causing any health problems.

• In the time of government cuts the County Council must maximise its funding of Health and Adult Care.

• Building more houses in Norton is not acceptable unless the roads and other services are in place. The air quality and traffic issues need to be sorted before increased traffic makes both worse.

As a Liberal candidate I make only three promises:

1) To work hard

2) To be honest

3) To ask the awkward questions

Please support me for the Norton Division on May 4.

Pickering Division

Alan Avery (Labour)

Alan Avery has lived and worked in Pickering for most of his adult life. He has been a Pickering Town Councillor and Governor of the local schools. He was selected as the Labour Party candidate for the constituency in the last General Election. If elected, he would oppose fracking in the area and make care of the elderly his main concern. He would actively propose alternative economic policies to austerity in North Yorkshire which penalise the poor and reward the rich. He is married with three children.

John Clark (Liberals)

I have spent the last 8 years pushing for a Liberal approach on North Yorkshire County Council.

• Waste: Liberals are in favour of Reduce, Re-use and Recycle. The Tory approach of incineration on a massive scale in one corner of the county is totally wrong in environmental, traffic and financial terms.

• Opposed the spending of £180,000 on the Tour de Yorkshire when there is a shortage of money for elderly care.

• The abolition of district councils. Would save £20-£40m - no cuts for buses and libraries.

• Pushed on the Scrutiny of Health Committee for the health aspects of fracking to be monitored. Health needs to be monitored before fracking starts, then any changes can be measured.

As a Liberal candidate I only make three promises:-

1) To work hard

2) To be honest

3) To ask the awkward questions

Please support me on May 4.

Greg White (Conservative)

I strongly believe that, in these challenging times, Pickering and the surrounding villages needs more effective representation. When I represented Pickering between 2005 and 2009, I was able to deliver on a range of issues: including securing Wells Walk as a public right of way; trailing pedestrianisation of the Market Place on Mondays and getting a bus shelter installed in Pike Road. I also took on additional roles as a Police Authority Member and as a school governor at both Lady Lumley's and the Community Nursery & Infant School. If elected I promise to consult you and reflect your views and priorities at County Hall, including the need for better highway maintenance, support for our schools and libraries and opposition to Shale Gas Fracking in Ryedale. By voting for me you will be electing a County Councillor who can and will get things done, for Pickering and the surrounding villages.

Thornton-le-Dale and The Wolds Division

Sandra Bell (Green Party)

I moved to Ryedale in 1987 from the West Riding. As a parish councillor for Thornton-le-Dale parish council I have appreciated this opportunity but it is frustrating only to be able to express a view in the hope that this would affect the decisions made in different forums. These seem stuck in historical patterns of response not necessarily reflecting local needs or a changing environment. At County level I would have more input into decision making and would hope to open up and improve the decision making processes. I would particularly work towards:

• opposing any move to extract minerals using non-conventional methods (ie Fracking) or to increase the industrialisation of this area to the detriment of the region and its residents

• effective monitoring of schools and educational standards, and improving the life chances of our youngsters

• improving public transport and cycling provision in the area

Mick Johnston (Labour)

I was shocked when North Yorkshire Council so readily gave way to the fracking industry. In giving the go-ahead to frack at Kirby Misperton they opened the door wide for blanket fracking across Ryedale, riding roughshod over the wishes of the majority of people who live there. Democracy is a sham unless people have a real choice over what they can vote for so I am standing in this election to give people in Thornton Dale and The Wolds the option of casting their vote for a person and a Party which are both unequivocally opposed to fracking. While falling over itself to help the rich fracking industry North Yorkshire seems to do little to help ordinary folk. I would like to see it doing far more to protect and improve local services like education and transport and to come up with a real plan for providing affordable housing for local people in their own communities.

Janet Sanderson (Conservative)

Having worked as a teacher in Ryedale 22 years, I gave up my career to represent this area because I am passionate about our Ryedale landscape and values. Being your representative for the last six years has been an honour and equipped me with the experience to take opportunities for our community. Small rural businesses underpin our society and I will continue to campaign for improvements to the infrastructure which supports them, from A64 upgrades to broadband and mobile phone coverage. Times have been challenging, but we have already proved that working with a reduced budget does not equate to a reduction in service. I will continue to protect front line services whilst living within our means by work together, utilising new and innovative ways of delivery whilst protecting our traditional way of life. I value our communities and if re-elected, I will continue to give them a strong voice.