One of Ledbury’s new county councillors says getting more youth services into the town is her top priority.

Stef Simmons is one of two new Green councillors representing Ledbury on Herefordshire Council following last week’s local election.

She defeated incumbent Conservative Helen I’Anson in the Ledbury South ward, by 424 votes to 352.

Matthew Eakin, for the Liberal Democrats, picked up 241 votes and Labour’s Will Hopkins 82.

Cllr Simmons said she had been “quietly confident” going into the election having put in the hours “knocking on doors and finding out what’s on people’s minds”.

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“I’ve also been volunteering in Herefordshire and in Ledbury for six or seven years,” she said, adding that two issues had stood out from her doorstep campaigning.

“People are concerned about access to GPs - when they get to see a doctor they are happy with the service, but it’s that access they are worried about.

“Ledbury Health Partnership is having its inaugral patient participation meeting, which is good news.

“There was also a lot of concern about the condition of roads, and a lot of explaining at how much our grants from the government have been cut in recent years.

“There is no money for a countywide resurfacing scheme.”

Cllr Simmons said her personal motivation to get into politics was to improve youth services in Ledbury.

“There are very limited options in the town for young people at the moment, and no youth centre,” she said.

“And not everyone can travel to Hereford or Worcester. I volunteer with all age groups at Ledbury Rugby Club so I see the need for youth services - and it is the priority for the council.”

In the Ledbury West ward, longstanding Lib Dem councillor and current town mayor Phillip Howells was unseated by another Green candidate, Justine Peberdy.

She won the seat with 431 votes, Tory Rachael Finch was second with 218 and Cllr Howells - still a town councillor - polled 194. Labour’s Jonathan Browning got 91 votes.

Stalwart councillor Liz Harvey held onto her Ledbury North seat, picking up 424 votes standing for the group calling itself ‘It's Our County: Independent Organised Capable’.

Ewen Sinclair, standing as an independent, got 231 votes ahead of Cole Fellows for the Tories (136) and Lib Dem Gem Murray (172).