The May 2027 local elections are still more than seven months away, but the first candidate for a Penrith seat has already been declared.
Wade Tidbury has been selected as the candidate for Penrith North by the Penrith and Eden Green Party for the Westmorland and Furness Council elections, becoming the first candidate publicly announced for one of Penrith's new council seats.
The May 2027 elections are set to be one of the biggest electoral events Cumbria has seen for years.
All 65 seats on Westmorland and Furness Council will be contested, as will all seats on Cumberland Council. In Penrith, voters will also elect the full membership of Penrith Town Council.
For the first time, voters across Cumbria will also cast a vote for the county's directly elected Mayor.
There will also be a change to the way Penrith is represented on Westmorland and Furness Council, with the number of councillors representing the town increasing from four to five.
Penrith North will elect two councillors, while Penrith South will elect three.
Despite polling day still being months away, the first candidate has now put his name forward in Penrith North.
Tidbury has lived in Cumbria for 36 years and describes Penrith North as his home. He recently retired following a long career in child protection and safeguarding within the charity and NGO sector, where he spent decades working with vulnerable children, families and organisations.
He says his campaign will initially focus on listening to residents rather than setting out a fixed list of election promises.
The party has already started a listening campaign across Penrith North, delivering surveys to households asking residents about the issues affecting their communities and what they value about living in the area.
Tidbury says he intends to visit all of the ward's approximately 3,000 households before the election.
Speaking after his selection, he said: "I am honoured to have been selected as the Green Party candidate for Penrith North and excited to have already started meeting residents across the ward.
"I've spent the first few weeks listening to people's worries and concerns about local services, as well as hearing what they love about living here. The message I've heard time and again is that people want to be listened to and they want their views reflected in local decision-making.
"That's why we're visiting every household in Penrith North with our residents' survey. I want to hear directly from local people about what is working well, what isn't working, and what changes they would like to see. Over the coming months I intend to visit every home in the ward and make sure residents have a real opportunity to shape our priorities."
Tidbury says the pace of development in Penrith will also be one of the issues he wants to discuss with residents.
"Penrith has grown significantly in recent years, but investment in infrastructure and local services has not always kept pace. We need to ensure that future development works for existing and new residents alike.
"I'm also keen to hear from local businesses. A vibrant town centre is vital to the health of our community, and I want to support initiatives that help small businesses thrive and make our high street an attractive place to shop, work and spend time.
"At the same time, we must make sure that housing growth provides affordable homes that are energy efficient and meet the needs of our residents. And it must be matched by a commitment to protect and enhance our parks and green spaces. These places are part of what makes Penrith such a wonderful place to live, and they need to be preserved for future generations."
Ali Ross, Chair of Penrith and Eden Green Party, said the candidate's professional background would bring experience of working with communities and families.
"We are delighted to have Wade as our candidate for Penrith North. His professional background and extensive experience make him an ideal person to represent local residents. Throughout his career he has worked alongside communities, families and organisations, helping people find solutions to difficult challenges.
"Wade brings integrity, compassion and a genuine commitment to public service. We know he will be a strong voice for Penrith North and we are excited to support him as he begins speaking with residents across the ward."
The selection comes as the Green Party points to increased membership and electoral support nationally and locally.
The party says membership of its Penrith and Eden branch has more than doubled since September 2025, while its membership across England and Wales has also grown substantially.
The party currently has five MPs at Westminster and says it has more than 1,300 councillors across the country.
For Penrith, however, the significance of the 2027 elections goes well beyond the first candidate to be announced.
With every Westmorland and Furness Council seat being contested, all Penrith Town Council seats up for election and the first directly elected Cumbria Mayor being chosen, voters will face several different contests on the same day.
There are still more than seven months before polling day, leaving plenty of time for other candidates and parties to announce their intentions.
But with Wade Tidbury now officially selected for Penrith North, the first name in what could become a much longer list of candidates for Penrith's 2027 elections has been put on the table.
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