FROM this month Ascot residents will see another party on their local election ballot papers.

‘The Borough First’ (tBf) is a political party that aims to “take party politics out of local government” in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

The borough covers south-eastern Ascot and the new party is hoping to make an impact by giving residents the chance to vote for candidates who “don’t have an allegiance to a national political party.”

Helen Price, Windsor resident and a founder of ‘the Borough first’ said: "I've lived in Windsor for over 40 years and I love it, but decisions are being made by the council, which are not in the best interest of residents, whose voice and needs are being ignored.

“Local democracy is broken so things have to change - ‘the Borough first’ is a grassroots organisation giving local people a voice and the power to effect change.

Candidates selected for election are set to be chosen after they first go through a “selection process to ensure they have integrity, ability and are of honest intent” before being “asked to sign an agreement confirming that they are not members of any national party”.

The party claims decisions will not be imposed by the party and policies will be decided after tBf candidates come together to discuss election pledges.

Four independent councillors have signed up to become tBf candidates including Charles Hollingsworth, Lynne Jones, Claire Stretton and Wisdom Da Costa.

Councillor Claire Stretton said: “‘the Borough first’ will support, train and guide Independent candidates through the local elections and into the council chamber where their voices should be heard, respected and considered.

“In the modern world independently-minded people work in constructive and effective groups every day, at work, at home and in their leisure time, achieving everything from getting hospices built to running large events, like the Maidenhead Festival.

“‘the Borough first’ has been formed to achieve this transformation in our Borough."

The Borough First claim “Local government is being totally undermined by the agendas of national party politics and individual political ambition.

“Candidates from national parties, selected with a primary responsibility of unconditional loyalty to a party machine, coupled with the continual use of party whips, discourages creative solutions, proper debate and is wholly inappropriate when considering local issues.”