THE chairman of a residents association entered the race for a vacant Enfield Council seat after becoming disillusioned with the sitting councillors.

Tony Kingsnorth is standing as an independent for the Bush Hill Park seat, attempting to break a Conservative stronghold on the ward.

He said he decided to stand after feeling let down by the representation for residents by councillors over the last couple of years following the death of long-time representative John Jackson.

He said: “Councillor Savva and John Jackson were a team working with the residents association in a very positive way.

“Since John died, there has been a lack of quality of service that we were used to.

“That was part of the reason I decided to stand, and I have a lot of experience after 15 years as chairman of the association.”

The by-election, to be held on July 28, was called after the resignation of Cllr Eleftherios Savva to move to Cyprus to help a family member with personal problems.

This came after a year in 2009/10 when Cllr Savva was concentrating on being mayor of the borough, and Mr Kingsnorth said some of the planning decisions had gone against residents wishes, and without proper representation from ward councillors.

Mr Kingsnorth, who is visually impaired, said if elected he would plough an independent furrow between the two major parties, working for residents.

He added: “I am also pushing forward the idea that someone with a sight problem is quite capable of doing a practical job, with the right facilities and support.”

Nine candidates are standing in the Bush Hill Park by-election. They are: Lee Chamberlain (Conservative), Douglas Coker (Green), Tony Kingsnorth, (Independent), Clive Morrison (Christian Party), Gwyneth Wesley Rolph (UKIP), Paul Smith (Lib Dems), Stephen Squire (BNP), Ben Weald (English Democrats), and Ivor Wiggett (Labour).