What Salford's newest Lib Dem councillor plans to do for city after key by-election win

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Salford has a Lib Dem on the council again after the party won a key by-election yesterday and promised to "put pressure" on the dominant Labour Group.

Councillor Paul Heilbron, 29, picked up 540 votes to win the Quays ward contest, ahead of Labour's Elizabeth McCoy who got 321 votes, and Andrea Josephine Romero O'Brien from Salford Greens who received 124 ballots.

After the result was announced, Coun Heilbron told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that he was pleased to win after the Lib Dems were left "fighting for survival" on Salford council after their previous councillor quit to take up a role in Watford. READ MORE: Homelessness crisis declared in Greater Manchester borough as former school turned into emergency accommodation He said: "More than anything we spoke and listened to residents and we act on what they want rather than telling them what they need. "We've got the flexibility to put pressure in the right places and hold [Labour] to account, we can be the voice for people who don't have a voice - and we've seen that in certain areas all over the council where when there's too much party dominance people can get left behind. "A one-party state can breed a little bit of laziness and complacency, so we want to keep them on their toes , keep them doing the right things, but at the same time work together, we want consensus, we need to work together as a council, especially within the ward.

We can get a lot of stuff done even though we're a small party." The newest member of Salford council, who also works in public affairs, described himself as "a bit of an environmental nut" and said part of his focus will now be on these issues in the ward, such as a campaign to clean up the Quays and restoring