Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) says it is ‘thrilled and honoured’ after being re-elected to Saffron Walden Town Council with an increased majority.

Saffron Walden Reporter: Uttlesford Green Party's Trilby Roberts (centre) was elected to Saffron Walden Town Council. Picture: CONTRIBUTEDUttlesford Green Party's Trilby Roberts (centre) was elected to Saffron Walden Town Council. Picture: CONTRIBUTED (Image: Archant)

R4U were re-elected as the majority party after winning 15 of the 16 seats up for election on May 2. The final seat was filled by Trilby Roberts of the Green Party.

R4U’s Paul Gadd, council leader at Saffron Walden Town Council, said: “We and the excellent staff at Saffron Walden Town Council have worked very hard for our town over the last four years, and achieved a huge amount. We’d like to thank residents for recognising the work that we have done. Our councillors are thrilled and honoured to serve them for another 4 years.

“We have a strong mandate to move forward with our progressive policies and continue our programme for the town. Importantly R4U has now also been elected as the majority party at Uttlesford District Council (UDC). This should allow the town council to make more rapid progress on issues such as our neighbourhood plan, the failure over the last 12 years of the previous UDC administration to require housing developers to pay properly for necessary infrastructure, and dealing with parking issues.

“We also have been implementing a strong green agenda for the last 18 months because residents have told us it is important to them. We’re excited to have the Green Party’s Trilby Roberts join as a councillor to help us drive those issues further.”

The Green Party had a record nine candidates standing in the local elections, triple the number in 2015 and more than the total number Uttlesford has seen since 1974, and Saffron Walden Town Council now has its first Green Party councillor.

Trilby Roberts said: “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to work with other councillors and likeminded organisations to do all that can be done to ensure that we protect our environment and improve the town’s air quality.

“Also, together with the district and county councils, I will work to curb the endless cuts to local Government funding that have such a negative effect on our youth and vulnerable citizens, and to provide housing at a cost that local people can afford.”