Royston Liberal Democrat Candidates 2026

Elect a Town Council that works for Royston! Meet our candidates who are working to improve the town and local people's lives.

Our Candidates

We are the only party with a full commitment of candidates for Royston's thirteen council seats.

Royston Heath

Elizabeth Freeman
Bryony May
Ed McGowan
Ed Nutting

Royston Meridian

Bulbul Ahmed
Steve Claydon
Tim Johnson
Lisa Thompson
Piotr Zolopa

Royston Palace

Paul Brown
Gerald Jackson
David May
Alex Prosser-Snelling

Royston Heath

Elizabeth Freeman

Elizabeth Freeman has spent her entire adult life in Royston and cares deeply about the town and the people who live here. She has served as a Royston Town Councillor for the past three years, working to support practical improvements that benefit our community. She is strongly in favour of the proposal for a Royston Venue that can bring people together and strengthen local life. She is also passionate about town twinning, supporting community organisations, and protecting our environment and biodiversity. Royston is a special place, and Elizabeth wants to help ensure it continues to thrive—socially, culturally, and environmentally—for everyone who calls it home.

Bryony May

Bryony May is District Councillor for Royston Heath Ward since 2023 and has served on several Committees including the Planning Control Committee, Licensing and Regulation Committee and the Cabinet Panel on the Environment. She also represents North Herts Council on the Committee of Royston Old People’s Day Centre Committee (Royston Old Barn) and the Board of Citizens Advice North Herts. Bryony moved to Royston with her partner David over 35 years ago and has enjoyed living and raising her family here. Her three children attended local schools and clubs, and she served as a parent governor at Tannery Drift First School for seven years. Bryony is Chair and a Trustee of the Friends of Therfield Heath and Greens (FOTH) charity, chairing meetings, taking part in and helping to organise activities such as litter picking and fundraising. Bryony also represents FOTH at meetings of the North Herts Council Green and Growing Network and the Royston Town Council Climate & Biodiversity Working Party. Bryony retired in 2024 having worked as a professional operational meteorologist providing advice and support on weather-related matters to emergency responders, managing a small team covering eastern and southeastern England. Bryony takes a particular interest in environmental issues, especially the challenges of combating and adapting to climate change. If elected, Bryony will take a positive, pragmatic and collaborative approach to representing local residents.

Ed McGowan

Ed is a scientist with experience in the commercial and academic sectors. He has a family in Royston with teenage children. Ed enjoys engaging with people with different views, learning from them and incorporating them into his own approach. Ed wants to contribute to the positive growth of Royston, and addressing the challenges associated with its expansion. He wants to support the local market management and forge closer ties between the Town Council and the Conservators of the Heath.

Ed Nutting

Ed became a Town Councillor in July 2025, after winning a by-election in Palace ward. Since then he has pushed forward with plans to re-open the town hall as the Royston Venue, leading on developing the proposal which was adopted by the council in January. Now he is working to make sure it happens, and has taken an active role in other aspects of the town council. Ed moved to Royston 4 years ago after 8 years in Bristol. Ed is an entrepreneur applying his research in computer hardware to protect people’s data and prevent future attacks on our supermarkets, national grid and more. His last 2 businesses have created 20 jobs in Cambridge and Bristol. Ed is passionate about education: he created two series of computer science videos for teenagers and undergraduates on YouTube. He raised over £25,000 for outreach in Bristol and his workshops reached over 4,000 local students in years 5 and 6. In his free time, he enjoys sailing, kayaking and hiking. Ed wants to continue to meet more people in Royston and to represent your views at the town council. His energy and experience can contribute to successfully tackling the local issues most important to you.

Royston Meridian

Bulbul Ahmed

Bulbul Ahmed is a self-employed businessman and has two sons who attend King James Academy and Roman Way. He has lived in Royston for more than eight years, and has been involved in a range of cultural and development activities, and regularly participates in voluntary work around the town. Bulbul believes Royston is a wonderful place to live which is getting bigger and better, but there is a lot of work to be done. Bulbul wants to see the town become safer, better and inclusive in all ways for his kids, as well as for the people of the town.

Steve Claydon

Steve has lived in Royston for about 13 years and in a village just outside of Royston for 20 years prior to that. Steve is now semi-retired from a long career in the NHS and all three of his adult children now work in different parts of the NHS. Steve believes that it is very important that the Town Council represents the interests of local residents and feels passionately that those who find it difficult to have their voice heard should be represented. Steve fully supports better use of community facilities such as the Town Hall.

Tim Johnson

Tim is a retired Detective Inspector, completing 30 years with Hertfordshire Constabulary, and still works closely with local officers to cut anti-social behaviour and address a host of Police-related issues. Tim is already a local councillor for Meridian ward at District and Town levels, now seeking re-election in May to the Town Council. In semi-retirement, Tim works part-time with youngsters at KJAR. If you want a local champion to continue his successful work for you, use your vote to back Tim.

Lisa Thompson

Lisa has lived in Royston for over 50 years. Has worked at Arthur Rank Hospice Charity for the last 5 years and changed her role to Community Fundraiser so is use to meeting supporters and talking to people about the charity. In the past Lisa was Chairperson for Royston in Blue for several years a charity run for Teenage Cancer Trust and was also Chairperson on Royston Means Business which for several years held Summer and Christmas Fairs in the High Street. Lisa was also a keen hockey player for many years at Royston Hockey Club and was Ladies Club Captain for several years and also involved in the Junior Development Centres in Cambridgeshire coaching 16 to 17 year old girls. Lisa is keen to get the youth of the town more involved in activities and hopefully start a youth community team group to organise events in the town for people of their age as they are the future of Royston Town.

Piotr Zolopa

Piotr Zolopa has lived in Royston with his family for over 10 years now, creating a strong network of family and friends and a love for the town. He has a strong commitment to representing the voices of everyday people — especially young people and families. As a family-oriented leader, Piotr understands the everyday challenges faced by parents in our community. Piotr’s approach to politics is guided by real-life experience and a desire to create safe, supportive, and thriving neighborhoods where families can succeed. Piotr is proudly pro-environment, recognizing that protecting the planet is essential for future generations. In his spare time, he loves runnings and dog-walking.

Royston Palace

Paul Brown

Paul has lived in Royston for many years and his children attended local schools. He has worked hard for the community, has been part of Royston and District Twinning Association and was Pastor of Trinity Life Church. He is a Maths teacher and volunteers with Pathways for Learning as well as helping several local charities with their accounts. He also volunteers with a group who do assemblies in local schools and manages The Old Schoolhouse as a community venue. He prefers to shop locally including at Royston market and cares about cycling and public transport.

Gerald Jackson

Gerald has lived in Royston for nearly 40 years, with his partner Diane. Their two boys attended local schools and clubs. Gerald has recently retired the role of a Project Engineer for a local electrical engineering & electrical Installation company, specialising in bespoke automation control systems. Geralds wants to see a bridge over the A505, and more activities for young people in the town.

David May

David has been an active volunteer and member of the local community for over 20 years, including running a local sports club and delivering coaching. He is involved in the management of land used for recreation in Royston and the villages. David is passionate about providing space for the people of Royston to play sport as well as areas for general leisure activities. David will actively engage with residents on issues which affect them and work to ensure local organisations receive the support they need to deliver a wide range of recreational opportunities for residents.

Alex Prosser-Snelling

Alex is a local dad of two and a dedicated member of the community. Having seen both his children through King James Academy, he cares deeply about the town where his family has grown up. Balancing a career in a multinational company with local life, he understands the day-to-day challenges many of us face. Many may know Alex from the pandemic, when he helped set up and run ‘Royston Vs Coronavirus,’ or from his time volunteering with the UK vaccination effort. You’ll also often find him out as a regular litter picker on the Heath, as he believes in stepping up to keep our shared spaces beautiful for everyone. If elected, Alex wants to help our town centre thrive by supporting the local businesses that make Royston unique. He is also keen to make it easier for everyone to enjoy the wonderful countryside on our doorstep through better walking and cycling access. He’s ready to listen and work hard for a friendly, inclusive and vibrant Royston.

Our manifesto

A positive plan for Royston, which we are delivering by working hard all year round.

Only the Liberal Democrats have a constructive and achievable plan for improving our town: boosting the local economy, enhancing the local environment, supporting community groups and getting a fair deal for Royston at District and County councils.

Read our manifesto