Conservative Shabana Raman is aiming to make history as the first ethnic minority member of Canterbury City Council.

The 33-year-old, who grew up in Mauritius, admits she was surprised to learn she will be the city’s first non-white councillor – if she succeeds in capturing a seat in the Northgate ward.

“Some people might think that Conservatives are all an elite bunch of white Eton-educated people – but I’m here to prove they’re not,” Shabana said.

“I was surprised to hear I could be the first non-white councillor, especially when there are quite a lot of immigrants living and working in Canterbury.

“Some are here to work, others to go to university, so it’s surprising none have made it on to the council.”

Shabana is contesting the deprived Northgate ward, which was traditionally a Labour stronghold in years gone past, but returned two Conservatives in 2007, and one Tory and one Labour in 2011.

Her main challenge will be going up against Labour’s Alan Baldock, who lives in the ward, and is an established community campaigner.

“I was surprised to hear I could be the first non-white councillor, especially when there are quite a lot of immigrants living and working in Canterbury..." - Shabana Raman

However, Shabana is upbeat about her chances.

She said: “I think I can win the seat because I can persuade people to believe in what we [the Tories] are doing.

“We are a cohesive party who are here for everyone. We are about helping the community and giving people a chance.

“We want to give them a voice and are knocking people’s doors asking what we can do for them.

“One of the biggest issues in Northgate is homelessness and ensuring that people who need a home get one.

“I’m a big supporter of those charities such as Catching Lives and Porchlight, which do so much good work for homeless people in Canterbury.”

Shabana lived in Mauritius – a group of islands in the Indian Ocean 1,200 miles off the south-east coast of Africa – until she was 17, when she came to Britain to study.

She qualified as a teacher and worked in west London before moving to Canterbury nine years ago.

Her expertise is in business studies and she is now a course director at CATS College Canterbury, the international higher education college based in the south of the city.

“I think my business and education background will add a lot if I’m elected to the council – especially when it comes to working with local businesses,” Shabana added.

The city council is slimming down from 50 to 39 councillors at the election and the ward boundaries have been redrawn.

Northgate ward will be slightly larger than the present one.