Hertsmere Labour reveals list of some of its candidates ahead of elections in May

Every local councillor seat in Hertsmere is up for grabs and voters will go to the polls later this year to decide who they want to represent them and help solve issues where they live.

The current make-up is predominantly Tory with just four councillors providing an opposition, led by Cllr Jeremy Newmark.

Cllr Newmark, Cllr’s Richard Butler and Rebecca Butler, and Cllr Vince will be hoping to hold onto their seats, as will all of the Tory councillors.

Hertsmere Labour has revealed campaigner Elsa Reyes will be standing in Elstree where she could end up challenging council leader Morris Bright.

Ms Reyes has led a protest against the Reviva site in the village for more than four years and is an active member of the Elstree Residents Association.

Elsa Reyes

Here is who else will be standing for Labour in May:

Dr Daniel Ozarow

A senior lecturer at Middlesex University. He is a specialist in responses to unemployment, poverty, and financial crisis in Europe and Latin America. He lives in Elstree with his young family who are active members of Elstree Liberal Synanagoue.

Dan Ozarow

Prabhakar Kaza

A leader of the South Indian community both locally and nationally. With masters degrees in both nuclear physics and financial management, Kaza currently runs a locally based business supporting upcoming entrepreneurs. He also has a leading role in promoting and supporting women’s cricket on an international level.

Mik Levin

A recent contestant on BBC Mastermind and popular TV quiz show ‘The Chase’, Mr Levin is an active supporter of Borehamwood FC. He works as an advertising specialist, lives in Borehamwood and is a former pupil of the Jewish Free School.

Henry Okonu

A Borehamwood resident, NHS worker and UNITE Union official with extensive experience and success in helping people deal with complex workplace related problems.

Nik Oakley

Ms Oakley is a communications consultant and a former Three Rivers District councillor. Nik is a planning and public transport specialist. Born in Bushey she was the Labour Party's first Head of Marketing and advises a number of local organisations including Little Bushey Community and Friends of King George.

Caroline Pitrakou

A Borehamwood resident for twenty-five years, Ms Pitrakou is an environment programme manager at the London Borough of Hackney. She is a passionate campaigner on transport and mental health provision for children and young people, and also works actively to support homeless people in the borough.

Ann Harrison

A 2018 Hertsmere Civic Award winner, former borough councillor and former director of Elstree Film Studios, Ms Harrison also sits on the Lee Cliffe ‘Big Local’ Committee overseeing distribution of public funding to parts of Borehamwood and helps run a weekly drop-in club for senior citizens.

Rachel Shaw

A Shenley resident and teacher. She is a member of the Shenley Village Local Plan Steering Group. She is an Elected teacher’s representative active and experienced on financial, property, employment and welfare related matters.

Alpha Collins

A lawyer and FIFA football agent by profession, Mr Collins is heavily involved in St Michael and All Angels Church in Borehamwood. Appointed as a goodwill Ambassador for Liberia Alpha is experienced in supporting diverse communities in the area and promoting Borehamwood on an international basis.

Alpha Collins

Graeme Alexander

Mr Alexander studied mathematics in Cambridge and is a qualified actuary working in insurance. He moved to the area six years ago and is married with four young children. He is active in the local Jewish community and keen to use his skills to scrutinise council expenditure, campaign for a better deal for social housing tenants and as a commuter is committed to working to improve local transport.

Graeme Alexander

John Maizels

An editor by profession, Mr Maizels is a member of the National Union of Journalists. He lives in Letchmore Heath and is active in a range of local community groups.

John Doolan

A Potters Bar resident for over twelve years and software developer, Mr Doolan is a passionate campaigner for electoral reform and a coordinator of the national Labour campaign on this issue.

Christopher Myers

Mr Myers is a life-long resident of Potters Bar and went through the local school system. He works for a long-established local company as well as studying for a politics degree as a part-time mature student. Mr Myers has long record of activism on issues including human rights and promoting peace. Chris is passionate about animal welfare and volunteers with the RSPCA.

Christian Gray

Born in the heart of the South Wales mining community, Mr Gray moved to Potters Bar 12 years ago. He works in the financial sector for many years and has ambitions to improve the amount of affordable housing in the area, especially for young people.

Di Hoeksama

A community activist and long-standing Bushey resident, Ms Hoeksma was previously a borough bouncillor. A former Hertsmere Labour chairman, she currently sits on the council consultative group exploring future options for the Bushey Country Club site.

Anita Curran

A former small business owner in the catering sector, Ms Curran now works for local charities. She has lived and worked in Borehamwood all of her life.

Kumail Jaffer

Mr Jaffer is a journalist and graduate of Warwick University He has lived in Hertsmere his whole life and has been an active campaigner for the Labour party.

Kumail Jaffer

Hertsmere Borough Council Labour Group Leader Jeremy Newmark said: “I am incredibly proud to be announcing a cadre of candidates of this calibre. It shows the importance Labour places upon local government. Local people deserve the best possible representatives who are capable and prepared to fight for their interests.

“Labour candidates will be working hard to win the trust of local people next year.”

Hertsmere is split into several wards across Borehamwood, Bushey, Potters Bar, Elstree, Shenley, and Aldenham (which covers Radlett).

A full list of Labour’s candidates is expected to be revealed later this month.

Details of where each candidate will be standing will also be revealed then.