VOTERS in one Bromsgrove area, who are disillusioned at the prospect of more EU controls on Britain, will have the chance to show their feelings in next month's county council elections.

The newly-created Beacon division, which takes in Rubery, Cofton Hackett and Barnt Green, is set to be the only area in Worcestershire where a United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) candidate is standing.

He is Stephen Peters, from Wythall, who currently represents Hollywood and Majors Green on Bromsgrove District Council for the Wythall Ratepayers.

Councillor Peters was originally elected to the local authority as a Tory, but resigned the whip a few years ago to become an Independent Conservative. He switched to the non-political ratepayers association at the last local elections.

Irrespective of the outcome of the May 5 election, he will remain a committed ratepayer councillor, he said.

Stephen says he has had enough of the new European constitution and the 'bullying' tactics of Brussels, together with the petty rules and regulations and cash gobbling quangos. He adds political correctness and regional government to that list and maintains that the present EU constitution is far removed from the original concept of a free trade area.

"I will be hoping to pick up votes from disillusioned former Tory and Labour voters and those who hold no traditional political views," he says. The political mix of the Beacon division will make the outcome one of the most difficult to call of any of the nine locally. So far it is believed six candidates have put their names forward. The closing date for nominations is noon tomorrow (Thursday).

pete.lammas@midlands.

newsquest.co.uk