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'I don't believe my vote has much of an impact'

Charlotte Benton
BBC News, West Midlands
BBC A woman is standing in front of a window. There is a wooden children's climbing frame behind her. She is wearing a grey T-shirt and black rectangular glasses. She is smiling into the camera. BBC
Kiran Latusek said she doubted anything would change if her chosen candidate won a seat in Warwickshire's County Council election

Elections are being held at county councils and elsewhere on 1 May. But will people bother to vote?

"People say your vote can sway the result one way or the other, but I don't believe our one vote has much of an impact."

NHS worker Kiran Latusek, from Nuneaton, plans to vote in the Warwickshire County Council election. However, she doubts anything will change if her chosen candidate wins.

"What they [the council] are saying and what they're doing are two different things, and it does put me off to a degree, because I think it doesn't matter who you vote for; you've got no control," Ms Lutusek said.

"I know it affects the waste in town and things around our local area, but I tend to focus on the government and how things get run," the 41-year-old added.

The council has been controlled by the Conservatives since the previous election in 2021.

The authority's responsibilities include education, transport, social care and libraries.

Ms Latusek said she would consider provisions for adult social care before she headed to a polling station as her mother had an accident last year that left her disabled.

"She did have the help she needed in the beginning, but as time has gone on, we've been left to our own devices to figure out her care for ourselves."

The county council's Green Party group leader, Jonathan Chilvers, said his party's priority was to make sure each person was treated with "compassion, fairness and dignity".

Jerry Roodhouse, the Liberal Democrat group leader, said the group wanted to see "much greater action" taken by the county council towards adult social care.

The BBC has approached the three other parties, Reform UK, the Conservative Party and the Labour Party, for comment.

A woman with long brunette hair, which is swept to one side, is smiling into the camera. She is wearing a black and white shirt. She has black glasses and is sitting in a soft play centre.
Charlene Taylor from Bedworth says she has decided to vote after her mother had encouraged her

Charlene Taylor, 30, from Bedworth, said she planned to vote, as she had been encouraged to by her mother.

She works as a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO) at a nursery in Nuneaton and said she would consider each candidate's plans for "early years education" as it was "oversubscribed".

"There's not enough nursery nurses in the area to accommodate the amount of children coming in," she said.

'SEND children need extra support'

She added that there was "not enough provision" for special educational needs and disability (SEND) children in Warwickshire.

"Although we do get funding for certain individuals, some children really do need extra support, and they're just not getting it because the nursery is just so busy all the time," Ms Taylor said.

The BBC has approached the Conservative Party, the Labour Party, Reform UK and the Liberal Democrats for comment.

Chilvers, the Green Party group leader, said: "The SEND system is working for no one".

"We would invest in early support for families when they need it and get teachers, parents and the council around the table in person to find practical solutions."

A woman in a black top holding her daughter on her hip. They are standing next to an empty vending machine in a soft play centre. The young girl is wearing a cream cardigan and her hair is plaited.
Tara, with her daughter Lola, says her vote will be based on what is "best for the children"

Tara, 40, who has a young daughter, Lola, is from Nuneaton. She said her vote would be based on what was "best for the children".

"I think there should be more provision for free school meals in both primary and secondary schools," she said.

Tara added she "didn't know a lot" about the candidates in Attleborough but said one of her main concerns was the condition of the roads.

A mid-shot of a young man who is wearing a purple polo shirt and has short brunette hair. He is smiling into the camera and is wearing a thin silver chain necklace. He is standing in the entrance to a soft play centre, and there are posters on a wooden cupboard door to the right advertising the centre.
Kane Shinn, 19, says he plans to vote after his parents had persuaded him to register

Kane Shinn, 19, from Bedworth, said he did not vote in the 2024 general election; however, his parents had since convinced him to register.

The operations assistant at Bermuda Adventure Soft Play in Nuneaton said he would consider candidates' plans to improve cleanliness before he decided which box he would cross on his ballot paper.

"When you go down the streets, you see litter everywhere, and it makes it not a very nice place to live. I think that's a top issue that should be sorted out," he added.

The BBC has approached the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservative Party and Reform UK for comment.

Chilvers, the Green Party leader, said the group did not support the A46 "bridge to nowhere" and it would "prioritise safe walking and cycling to school, leisure and work".

You can find out who is standing in the county's election on the county council's website.

Election day is 1 May and polling stations will be open from 07:00 to 22:00 BST.

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