Warndon Parish North is one of two wards in Warndon, and was created to make sure enough councillors serve the area.

The ward has a lot to shout about when it comes to vitality - only four per cent of residents are pensioners, and only seven per cent have long-term health problems.

One of the biggest issues in the ward is transport, and how it should be improved to create better links with Worcester city.

A new park-and-ride service at Worcester Warriors Rugby Club is seen as a jewel in the crown for connecting Warndon to the Faithful City, but has yet to happen.

The county council wants to create the park-and-ride to ease traffic congestion and encourage Warndon residents to travel into Worcester for work, rather than look towards Birmingham via the M5 motorway network.

The authority has yet to secure funding for it, but it is hoped that Government plans to expand Worcester by up to 16,800 homes will help state a case for better public transport.

County Hall will still be spending £1 million on transport in Warndon this year, but it will go towards a bus shelter to serve two existing half-hourly buses, the W2 and W3, which will be diverted from the rugby club by spring 2008.

A bid for £2.5m of funding from Advantage West Midlands to help pay for the new park-and-ride has been submitted, with a response expected back next month.

The ward only has two councillors, Coun Martin Clarke and Coun Stephen Hodgson, both of whom are Conservatives.

Coun Clarke is one of the most influential figures at the Guildhall as cabinet member for urban renaissance.

Warndon residents are guaranteed a new councillor this year because Coun Clarke has decided to step down to concentrate on his business interests.

Meet the candidates

Douglas Wilkinson, Conservative

Mr Wilkinson said the Conservatives have been working hard to regenerate Worcester, delivering new jobs, homes and facilities.

He said young people need to be active, whether it's sport, music or the arts, and he is committed to working with local police and community officers to fight anti-social behaviour.

He also said his party has kept the city's share of the council tax bill to a 2.5 per cent rise for the fourth year in a tow, and that he would focus on eliminating waste and maximising performance.

He said his aim is to ensure Worcester remains a pleasant city, while supporting the renaissance that is under way.

Andrew Watson, Labour

Andrew Watson is married with two grown up children and has lived in Worcester for the last 1 8 years.

He is an accountant for a specialist bathroom company. Mr Watson said voters in the Warndon Villages don't want their council tax wasted on new logos, management consultants or new chairs for councillors.

He said he would stamp out the waste and instead support better services for young people to keep them out of trouble.

Mr Watson said he would also fight against "dumping" a recycling facility on Warndon people, and that voting for him would be a vote to stop it.

Linda Smith, Green

Linda Smith said she was born in the Faithful City and has lived most her life here.

She works in law as a legal secretary, and decided to join the Green Party because she has a great love of the countryside.

She also has real concern for animal welfare, and cites this another reason for becoming a paid-up member of the party.

She is concerned about the amount of fly tipping that occurs in Worcester - particularly in the Gorse Hill and Warndon areas.

If elected, she said she would want to see some action from the city council towards trying to tackle this problem.