A FORMER councillor is aiming to become an MP for her hometown in Yorkshire.

A by-election for the Hinksey Park ward at Oxford City Council will take place next month after Marie Tidball stepped down.

Dr Tidball, a former city council cabinet member, has been selected to stand for Labour and fight for the Penistone and Stocksbridge seat.

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She said: “It has been a great privilege to be an Oxford city councillor for over six years, serving the community in South Oxford.

“I have now been selected as the Labour candidate to fight the next General Election for the Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency.

“This is where I grew up, where my family still live and where my partner and I have moved, so that I can serve the communities in my home seat and so our daughter can start school here in September.”

Oxford Mail:

Susan Brown, leader of the city council, added: “Marie has been an outstanding local councillor for the Hinksey Park communities and also contributed hugely as a cabinet member to the city as a whole.

“In particular, her work alongside council officers during lockdown to ensure all vulnerable people were being looked after, and the setting up of citywide community hubs was exceptional.

“Marie’s contribution to our city will be missed but our loss is Penistone and Stocksbridge’s gain.”

Oxford Mail:

The Penistone and Stocksbridge seat has been held by Conservative MP Miriam Cates since December 2019.

Former city council leader Bob Price, who lives in Hinksey Park, praised Dr Tidball for her work in the area.

He said: “Marie has been an outstanding councillor and has made a huge contribution to South Oxford and St Ebbe’s.

“She led the successful campaigns to save the health centre and the family room at Grandpont Nursery, and secured the funding to repair the footbridge over the river from St Ebbe’s to Grandpont.

“She has worked tirelessly to secure a satisfactory design for the Bertie Place housing scheme.

“The voters of Penistone and Stocksbridge are lucky to have gained Marie’s skills and experience, and we look forward to seeing her in Parliament after the next General Election.”

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The Hinksey Park by-election will take place on September 29.

Those wishing to stand have until 4pm on September 2 to put their name forward. The list of candidates will then be released by September 5.

The deadline to register to vote in the by-election is September 13, while the deadline to apply for a postal vote and proxy vote are September 14 and 21 respectively.

To register to vote in the by-election, visit: gov.uk/register-to-vote

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This story was written by Liam Rice, he joined the team in 2019 as a multimedia reporter.

Liam covers politics, travel and transport. He occasionally covers Oxford United.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Liam.rice@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter @OxMailLiamRice