Candidates for York & North Yorkshire Mayor set out their pitches
ITV Tyne Tees Political Correspondent Tom Sheldrick took a road trip to meet the candidates for York and North Yorkshire Mayor, ahead of the election on 2 May
The Mayor for York and North Yorkshire will oversee an area covering more than 3,500 square miles, with 800,000 residents.
It takes in two dramatic national parks, a stunning coastline and the historic city of York.
The mayoral role is newly created. They will lead a combined authority, with significant funding and powers over transport, regeneration and skills, as well as overseeing the police and fire service.
Six people are standing for election: Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Green and two independent candidates.
On a road trip around the vast patch, ITV Tyne Tees asked each of them about their policies and priorities.
We started at Catterick Garrison, where Kevin Foster is a local Green Party councillor and their candidate for mayor.
He told ITV Tyne Tees he would prioritise "better services, more connectivity for tourism and our businesses" and getting extra funding from the government to ensure "a nice Yorkshire that we're proud of".
He said voting for the Greens means other parties "copy our policies" on the environment.
Further south in Swinton Park, near Masham, was Felicity Cunliffe-Lister - the Countess of Swinton by marriage. She is a local Liberal Democrat councillor and is standing for the party for mayor.
She wants York and North Yorkshire to be "a thriving hub for innovation, research and skills", and become carbon neutral.
She insisted she does have "a good understanding" of the pressures facing many people.
Our next stop was Pateley Bridge, where Keith Tordoff owns a film poster shop. He is a former police officer and an independent candidate for mayor.
He said he would make it a priority to "create opportunities, particularly for young people".
He insisted his pledge to give some households with free chickens was "serious", and their eggs would provide families with nutrition.
We headed to Nidd Gorge, near Harrogate, where Paul Haslam is a local councillor. He is running for mayor as an independent candidate, having recently left the Conservatives.
He told ITV Tyne Tees that was because he is "frustrated at the lack of pace of change".
His pledges include creating an "integrated transport system" and supporting local farmers.
We drove to York, where Labour candidate David Skaith runs a clothes shop. He is a former chair of the York High Street Forum.
He accepted he has no political experience, but pointed to his "business background", his wife's experiences as a teacher and his brother's as a police officer.
His policies include building "truly affordable homes for rent and for ownership".
The final candidate on the trip was Conservative Keane Duncan in Malton.
He is a local councillor, a former leader of Ryedale District Council, and now has a senior role on North Yorkshire Council.
His pledges include "half-price homes for first-time buyers", and buying and restoring the Grand Hotel in Scarborough.
He insisted that policy "can be done and... must be done", as it would revive the town.
The York and North Yorkshire mayoral election will take place on Thursday 2 May, with the result due the following day.
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