Whatever the outcome of the local elections in May, there's one councillor who won't be returning to Maidstone Town Hall.

Cllr James Willis, who has represented Heath Ward since 2014, will not be seeking re-election after moving out of the area.

Cllr Willis (Lib Dem) had a strong interest in transport issues and sat on the Maidstone Joint Transportation Board and the Strategic Planning, Sustainability and Transportation Committee, as well as being a council representative to the Maidstone Cycling Forum, the Medway Valley Line Steering Group, the Quality Bus Partnership and the South East Rail Passenger Group.

He was an avid campaigner for better rail connections to Maidstone and for the plight of Hermitage Lane residents who had seen a large increase in congestion on their road following housing expansion there.

He said: "I'm sorry to be leaving Maidstone and Heath Ward in particular, but I'm glad my party has found a strong local campaigner in the form of Ashleigh Kimmance to fight my seat for the Lib Dems."

Mr Kimmance, 52, has been a Maidstone taxi driver for 30 years and shares Cllr Willis's interest in transport issues.

He lives in Springwood Road, just off Hermitage Lane, and said he had become interested in politics because of the congestion experienced by residents in the area.

On polling day, he will be battling with Alan Chell (Con), a former county and borough councillor who represented South Ward from 2000 until 2007, and also with Ben Crozier for Labour and Geoff Wilkinson for the Green Party.

The deadline for nominations is 4pm this coming Friday, so it is still possible that yet more candidates may step into the ring.