Broadland Liberal Democrats choose April Pond

9.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 22nd Sep 2006

Liberal Democrat members have chosen April Pond as their candidate for the new 'Broadland' parliamentary constituency at the next general election. The new seat, which includes part of the current Liberal Democrat stronghold of North Norfolk represented by Norman Lamb MP, is widely expected to be a close contest between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.

April Pond is a local Norfolk businesswoman who was a Cabinet member of Norwich City Council from 2000 to 2002. April stood for Southwest Norfolk in the General Election last year, increasing the Lib Dem vote by 80% from 5,681 votes to 10,207.

"I am thrilled to have been chosen to contest this seat at the next general election" said April. "The Liberal Democrats are a strong and growing force across Broadland, and I am determined that we will win this seat first time around.

"Over the coming years, I plan to campaign vigorously for health services that are suited to a rural community. The government is moving in a direction that is completely detrimental to Norfolk. Smaller more localised services are vital here.

"I want to see better treatment all round for pensioners. They have been hit from all directions in recent years with massively increasing council tax, an erosion in the value of state pensions and the disgrace of failed private company pensions. I want to see the remaining rural post offices preserved - they provide so much more in community terms than this government has understood.

"I will be looking to working with Norman Lamb M.P. on these and environmental concerns. You have to shout loud in Norfolk to be heard in Whitehall, and I intend to do just that"

Liberal Democrats have 15 district councillors across the new Broadland constituency, compared with 16 Conservative councillors. Labour have no district seats in the Broadland seat, and are unlikely to seriously challenge for the constituency.

The Broadland seat includes the Fakenham area in Norman Lamb's North Norfolk constituency, more than half of the existing Mid Norfolk seat including Aylsham, Reepham, Spixworth, Coltishall and Acle, and also Taverham and Drayton, currently in Norwich North constituency. The full description of the new seat is available at http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Content/Detail.asp?ReleaseID=142230&NewsAreaID=2