Lib Dem Buzz - Episode 3 Hackleton and Roade by-election

In this episode, we meet Steve Shellabear, who is the Liberal Democrat candidate for the upcoming by-election at West Northamptonshire Council in the Hackleton and Roade Ward. A local resident of Roade, he tells about his background, why is so passionate about the area where he lives and what his priorities would be if successfully elected as a councillor.

This podcast is brought to you by West Northamptonshire Liberal Democrats and is published on behalf of West Northamptonshire Liberal Democrats by Alan Knape, all at First Floor, 66 Buckingham Gate, London SW1E 6AU

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello and welcome to this edition of the Lib Dem Buzz, the podcast produced by your local West Northamptonshire Liberal Democrat team. My name is Jonathan Harris, and I'm the Lib Dem Group leader at West Northamptonshire Council, and I'll be your host for this edition. Our aim is to keep you informed, bring you news, discussion topics, and interview guests on all things community, council and political within the West Northamptonshire area. We'll be posting each edition of our West Northamptonshire podcast to our Facebook pages, and they will also be available from the usual podcast streamers such as Apple and Spotify. So here's what's coming up in this edition. So West Northamptonshire Council has just celebrated its five-year anniversary just today, and for the first time since the elections of last May 2025, the council has a by-election coming up in the Hackleton and Rogue Ward. This follows the resignation of a councillor who was originally elected as a reform UK councillor but expelled from their party a couple of months into his tenure. He remained as an independent until very recently but was on the verge of being thrown out of the council due to his poor attendance. Failure to attend a meeting within a six-month period automatically results in a councillor losing their seat. So today I'm going to be talking to Steve Shelebert, who is local, lives in Road, and who will be the candidate for the Liberal Democrats at the upcoming election, which takes place on Thursday, the 7th of May. So Steve, welcome and thank you for taking the time out of the busy campaign to join our podcast.

SPEAKER_00 2:02

Thank you, Jonathan.

SPEAKER_01 2:03

I'm delighted to be here. So Steve, I think it's a really good idea if if we can start by maybe getting us uh telling us a little bit about you, really. You know, who are you? Um, what do you do? What's your background?

SPEAKER_00 2:19

Okay. Well, um, as you said, my name's Steve Shellebert. I'm a Road resident. I've lived in Road for five years, and I'm standing as a Liberal Democrat candidate for the Hackerton Road area. This is my first venture into politics and uh my the first time I've stood as a candidate.

SPEAKER_01 2:39

I'll talk we'll talk a little bit more about that because I'll be interested to know why now and why you've decided to to get involved in local politics. But tell us a little bit about your your life experiences then. What what have you what have you been doing up until now from a work point of view?

SPEAKER_00 2:56

Okay, well, from the work uh really from the work point of view, um for the majority of my working life, I've been a learning and development consultant and trainer. So um working with large commercial organizations, public sector organizations. I've specialized in leadership and management, managing change, customer experience, interpersonal and communication skills areas. Um I've got a broad base of business experience. As I said, I've worked with companies across most industries, across the UK, as well as Europe, and middle and the Far East. Um I'm very fortunate to have been exposed to lots of different cultures, lots of different ways of looking at situations, and uh yeah, blessed in that respect. Public sector organizations have included National Health Service and councils ranging from county, district, borough, and city, from uh places like Brixton, Reading up to the Isle of Sky. Excellent.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

So that's a that's a really broad spectrum of work, uh, and clearly, I guess, a lot of different scenarios, lots of different people with lots of different outlooks on life. What what do you think your your skills are and how will how will they help you, do you think, in in the role of being uh an elected councillor? Because you've obviously seen some of that council stuff from the other side, uh, as it were. So, how do how do you think your skills, what you would describe them as, and how would you use them, do you think?

SPEAKER_00 4:32

Well, I think first and foremost, I love working with people, and that's been my motivation for working in learning and development. Um, it gives me a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction to enable people to feel more confident, more skilled, and more empowered in what they do. Um, I'm good at troubleshooting, I'm good at coming up with pragmatic solutions, and having worked in both business and public sector organizations, I've got an appreciation of some of the cultures and some of the challenges and opportunities that exist in both of those areas. So I think I'm very well placed to bring a lot of business experience and a lot of experience of for and first and foremost of working with people that will be of great benefit to the community.

SPEAKER_01 5:20

Excellent. And um, why why have you decided to to get involved in the politics side of things now then? Because you should say you've had a very extensive career in in the learning and development arena and management development, leadership development. Why why now? What's motivated you to uh I I always use the analogy of you know, instead of shouting at the TV, get off the sofa and do something. But I'm I'm always intrigued as to why why now?

SPEAKER_00 5:47

Well, um, I've always taken the view that you should vote for the best person to do the job. Um, so in that sense, throughout my career, I've been politically agnostic, if you like. Um, I've voted for different parties and different people, depending upon who's appealed to me and who I think is going to be best at both a national and local level. Um, I've lived in Road, as I say, for five years. I'm very happy living in Road. It's a great community here. And um, I on a practical level, as a resident, it does frustrate me somewhat that we see council tax going up. And as residents, we're legally required to pay it, even if we see little improvement in some of the services that we're receiving. So as a local resident, I'd like to see greater accountability, greater scrutiny of actually how the council is spending our money. Um, I'm also, as a a car driver, I'm fed up with the potholes and having to swerve to avoid them. Um and I want to like to see a greater connection and engagement with the villages and rural areas such as Hackleton and Road, but the 11 villages are actually part of that area, and for local people's views to be taken more into consideration. I think a lot of people have become quite disillusioned about politics and think that they can't make a difference and are actually, if not if not cynical, they're skeptical about the difference that they can make as an individual and how they can affect things. And I think that at a local level we can make a real difference, and that uh I'd like to see people feeling that they are included and that they can be heard and that they're you know being listened to and people are taking their views seriously and it's affecting the quality of life that we've got. Um, my my perspective is that government, whether it's national or local, uh, should be there to serve the people, not the other way around.

SPEAKER_01 7:47

Yeah, that's a great answer. And actually, as having been a counsel myself for six years, seven years now, I think it is, you know, it it it's exactly that. You can make a difference, but you have to work hard and put the effort and energy into it and be part of the community. And it I think it always helps if you've got that local connection as you have uh within your ward to be to be able to know people, but also identify the issues and the challenges that exist and really then get stuck into doing something about it. So so you you talked a little bit about your sort of um mixed background from a political point of view, and and I'm not gonna probe you on on those at all, particularly, but obviously you're standing for for us for the Lib Dems. So why why the Lib Dems then? Why what is it about the Lib Dems that that made you do that metaphorical get off the sofa and uh put yourself forward?

SPEAKER_00 8:41

Well, um the Lib actually um my father once stood as a liberal candidate. So um it's that you know, he's passed on now. But uh in that respect, it was something that as a family um we we we talked about. And um I do believe that Liberal Democrats are the best choice for Hackleton Road. Um, I think we do need a change from how things have been. Um you talked a little bit about the um the council that had caused that triggered this by-election. And um I do think that um Road is a great place to live. I enjoy living here, and I think the Liberal Democrats are the best party to bring about the change that we want to see in the area. Um, we want a party that is going to listen to people, we want a party that is going to be moderate in terms of the policies that it pursues, and um, it's really about uniting the community and uh fostering inclusion rather than dividing people. And uh at this time, particularly in politics, I think at one end of the spectrum you've got a lot of complacency from people who've done things the same way for a long time and um, even though it's not working, are still in that comfort zone of doing things and thinking that way. And on the other hand, you've got people who are really causing conflict and dividing the community. And um, the result, I think, is disempowerment for ordinary people because um, you know, you can get fired up about issues, um, but we need a council representatives that genuinely care about the communities that they represent, want to do the best. Lib Dems have always had a reputation for working hard, for having grassroots support, and uh, I think local politics is an area where we can affect our corner of the world and make a real difference. So that's really my motivation for joining. Um, I think it's the best choice.

SPEAKER_01 10:39

That's great to hear you say that, actually, because um, you know, that again from my experience, wholeheartedly agree with that community bit. You use the word community quite a lot there. And um, you know, we we I think one politician probably probably should remain nameless, but I'll name them anyway. Um the current conservative leader, let's maybe just leave it at that. Nationally, I'm talking here, once said, you know, oh, those Lib Dems, they just get the church roof fixed, you know. And actually, that's exactly what often is the thing that people respect you for and value, is is really rolling your sleeves up and getting things done on a local level within the community. Um, so so I when I when I heard that quote, I think it was made sometime last year, I thought, excellent, thank you. That's great, appreciate that. Sums up everything, really, you know.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

Absolutely, absolutely. Well, if if if everybody uh was concerned about the quality of their love of life in their local area and focused on that, then the country would be a very different place, particularly if we were looking at inclusion and how we can make sure that everybody is heard and everybody's views are represented. Um and and you know, I think fundamentally, as human beings, there's more that um unites us and divides us, and that should be the emphasis. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 11:58

And uh you certainly wouldn't believe that looking at the looking at the daily news, but but I completely agree with you. So so what does um you said you you'd had some experience of working it from the other side of things, so so doing your sort of day job from from learning and development within councils, but what does what does community politics mean to you in the sense that you know you you've used the word and I've echoed that word several times. What does that mean to you? You know, what what do you think that would look like for you in that ward of Hackleton and Road?

SPEAKER_00 12:32

Well, I think community politics is about understanding what members of the community want and uh doing your best to ensure that everybody is heard and that um the best solutions are put forward uh for the benefit of everyone in the community. So politics is local politics is simply a device to have that happen. Um, you know, I think uh uh to go back to what you said about if you want something done getting off the sofa, you know. Um there are lots of things that aren't working, but if we all wait for somebody else to do it, then we're gonna be waiting for a long time.

SPEAKER_01 13:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:14

Uh, you know, it's a it's a collective responsibility. You know, we all we all live in a community and we all have a responsibility to each other uh to to be the best neighbor that we can be. Uh and that means getting involved and and actually looking at how things are being done. And if you have a have a voice, whether that's in disagreement with what's being said or not, doesn't matter. But I think we should have the freedom of speech to say what we think, what we feel, and to have those views heard and considered. And that should be at a in a local level, and I'd like to see it happen at a national level as well. I think the the issue, the problem we've got into is that people pay lip service to listening to what other people are saying, but really they're driving their own agendas, and and what we need is to step out of that as a mindset and actually embrace the fact that we're all sharing this experience that we call life, we're all living in these communities, and it's about making it work. And as I said before, there's more than I think that unites us and separates us, and it's about having focus.

SPEAKER_01 14:26

I think it's it's the you know, the the issue for me is you know, many of those problems are lived experiences for quite a lot of us most of the time. And uh that that again, if you look at the national news or often even some of the local stories, it doesn't feel that way. It feels like you know, it's certain groups that are feeling the pain on cost of living or whatever it might be. But the truth is that it affects most of us in some shape or form. Um, and and you know, as you say, the the division thing is really the thing that's come through. We we've noticed historically, certainly in the elections last year, of course, there was a a big focus from uh reform on national issues, and that was really their campaigning material. From what I've picked up so far, a little bit, is there's not much difference. It feels a bit like it's the same old national agenda stories. But but what sort of things are you picking up as you're going around and and talking to people within the area itself, knocking on doors and delivering leaflets and visiting businesses and so on? What what sort of things uh are they talking to you about?

SPEAKER_00 15:35

Um well, firstly, I think um I I've there's tremendous support for the Liberal Democrats, and uh a lot of people really do see it as an opportunity to make a difference and are very passionate about that. Um, and that's something that I've seen a lot um in some of the villages that I've been to, whether it's Blissworth or Accelton or Hartwell or Road, you know, talking to people. Um, a lot of people, you know, want the best. Um, a lot of people are concerned, I think, about the way um politics is going. Um, and uh because of that, they're they're you know, thinking about it more seriously and getting involved. Um, of course, there are issues locally that people that affect people, and there are things the state of the roads and the state of the pavements are things that come up a lot, particularly for disabled people who might be, you know, not able to go on the roads and can't get around as much as they would want to. Um a lot of people I think are um surprised and disappointed that they've seen council tax go up, um, which both Labour said would wouldn't happen and reform said wouldn't happen. Um, some people have uh talked about you know some of the rural areas making sure the infrastructure's there, particularly where there are new developments being planned and implemented, and some of the facilities and amenities that were promised not then happening, such as GP surgeries and things like that. Of course, there's the ability bus service as well, which has been in the news and has chaptered a lot of people. A lot of people are very um it's not it's not exaggerating to say that some older people who are constrained um at home, they can't get around, were literally devastated by that because it's a service they've relied on for eight years, and it's something I think that you know, when you get out on the doorstep and you're talking to people and hearing those views, um, you cannot be not be touched by the you know the importance of something like that for people. And um, I think, you know, it's a fact of life. All of us are going to get older, all of us are going to need care of each other as we get older. And uh it's really about having communities and a society that is respectful of that process, and make sure that everybody is is looked after in that respect.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

Yeah, I'm glad I'm glad you mentioned the ability bus issue because um uh with my councillor hat on for a moment, that is something that we're still trying to prod and poke to understand exactly what the council is doing to respond to that issue. And um I think around four or five years ago in my area, we set up a community bus with a different operator, actually, uh a bus operator called Com Minibus. And um, to to bring that to life about how it feels for people, we've been running it for four years here now, and and it's a life changer. It's the it's the word I would use is a life changer for people. And I remember a particular gentleman who lived in a very remote village in our area, sadly has passed away since um the bus service came into operation. But he told us that there was nothing better at 87 than being able to be independent, get on a little bus, go to a supermarket, choose what he wants to have rather than relying on someone else to do it for him with a list. And he had 18 months with that bus at the end of his final years, and he just said it was such a blessing for him. And and I think that's the level of dialogue that we've got to keep making sure the council hears because it's significant, it's community again for people. It's um, you know, this little bus that we still have running around uh on a Monday for a supermarket trip, they are a real community, you know. They go to the cafe, they go to the library together, and it's uh it's good socializing space for them too.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Absolutely, absolutely. It is um it's a a vehicle literally for bringing the community, the older residents and and uh people who um you know may not have all of the resources that uh uh working people are lucky enough to have to to enable that they can meet up with friends and they can get around. And in that sense, we're actually uh helping to break down the social isolation that can happen when older people are constrained to their homes.

SPEAKER_01 20:17

Absolutely, and I think it's a really important equalities issue as well. You know, we're older people are uh part of that protected group in the Equalities Act, and I think um sometimes people forget that and don't understand that lived experience of what can change as we all get older, and as you said earlier on, it'll happen to all of us, you know, it's a shattered experience. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:40

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 20:41

So you you you live in Rhodes, um, and I think you're involved in in some community things in in Rhode as well. What tell us a little bit about the things that you get up to there?

SPEAKER_00 20:51

Yes, absolutely. So um, whilst I've uh been a resident of Road, I've um, if you like, was discovered singing in Christmas carols in one of the Christmas churches by a friend of mine who said to me, I I think you've got a really good voice. Talent spotted. Yes, literally. This I was discovered. So it wasn't, it was sort of, it wasn't quite road's got talent, but um it was um, yeah, I think you've got a great voice. You know, have you ever have you ever had any singing lessons? I said, No, I haven't. Um, I've always thought I might be able to sing, but um, I've never really had the confidence to do it, you know. Um, so anyway, I had a few singing lessons with a local singing teacher who's very good. And I joined, she encouraged me to join the Road Community Choir, which I've been a member of for I think two or three years now. We meet every Wednesday evening and we usually do a couple of concerts a year. Um, my music teacher does uh often a couple of music events a year as well. Um, and they're a great opportunity just to um unwind after. So you've been working all day. Um, I discovered my voice through singing, and I don't read music, so it's been a learning curve for me. But um it's something I get a lot of enjoyment from. Um, so that's that's one of the things that I do. Um I've also um in the past I've attended yoga and exercise sessions at the roadhouse in the high street. Yeah. Um and there are other lots of other things that happen as well in the village that sometimes I haven't had time to fully get involved with, but I have played croquet behind the bowls uh bowling club. Um, and there is a wine club as well that I would find out more about. But there are lots of things here. There's there's a local history society, you know, it's quite a rich community, and it's a it's a very friendly community. You know, if you're walking along the high street, people will say good morning to you, and you get that sort of uh yeah, you you feel part of something. So so tenor, tenor or bass? Tenor, tenor. Sometimes I mean tenor, sometimes think I might be a baritone or a baritone.

SPEAKER_01 23:11

Okay, okay, yeah. Yeah, there more choices are available. I shouldn't have just gone with the what with the two options, really, should I?

SPEAKER_00 23:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 23:18

Um, so so let's talk a little bit about then projecting ahead. Um, I know you're working hard and and uh quite a lot of the the team are out with you quite often uh and will be doing so um along along with me and many others over the next few weeks or so leading up to the election. Projecting beyond that, let's be positive. You're gonna be elected because you're a you're a great local champion. What would be the things that will be on your list that you would want to try and work on or achieve for your area and for for the people in your community?

SPEAKER_00 23:50

Yeah, that's a great question. Um, well, number one is uh give local people a voice uh in the council and to feel that they're being heard and they feel that they're being represented. Um, some of the feedback I've had from people who attend parish councils is that they hardly see any anybody from the council. Um and I think that's an area that needs to be addressed. Um, you know, uh I think people are concerned about local issues, some of the ones that I've mentioned already. So the state of the roads, how taxes are spent, um, that needs greater scrutiny. Um we want to be protecting our green spaces, making sure the infrastructure's behind there, um, that developers contribute to the infrastructure. Um, and um I'd like us to you know to feel that we're preserving that community spirit and um a feeling of belonging for people in the village and inclusivity in the village. So uh I think there are lots of you know projects and initiatives that could be set up to further that. Um and I'm going to be working with local residents to understand their perspective on what's needed and how we can bring those together and and uh bring them about.

SPEAKER_01 25:07

Great. And and of course, hopefully you'll be alongside some some Lib Dem colleagues who have had some experience of doing doing some of those things and they can do it.

SPEAKER_00 25:16

Well, I'm I'm very fortunate in that respect because the Lib Dem team is a very talented and skilled team and they're very enthusiastic about what they're doing. And uh I think they have a purity of spirit, which um I I feel privileged to be part of.

SPEAKER_01 25:30

Yeah, that's brilliant. Um a couple of final points then, Steve, if if I might. So um we've we've talked quite broadly. I I would like to understand what are your frustrations about politics. You sort of alluded to some of that earlier on around the division and the divisive approach that that's been taken. So if you had a magic wand, or not even a magic wand, because you've got the change skill sets from your career and your experience, what are the things that you would want to change in politics right now? And focus on local particularly.

SPEAKER_00 26:06

Well, I mean, it comes back uh to people having feeling that their voice is heard, I think, and feeling that they can make a difference to local issues. Um, I think it's very easy for people to get sidetracked by uh, you know, mainstream headlines um and to feel actually concerned but disempowered in terms of the effect that they can have. And I would like to see more people feeling that they can control what happens at a local level and that their voice is heard and they have a representative and a ch a channel for that to happen. Um so that that would be my number one priority.

SPEAKER_01 26:47

Yeah, and the phrase we we've used a lot in in uh in our history is community champions, and I think that's um that's something that that we've all got on our hearts. So and Steve, it's been great to talk to you, and um we'll we'll all be out there knocking on doors and delivering leaflets, um, working busy, keeping keeping the midnight hour burning for the next few weeks. Um but I appreciate your time and uh thank you for coming on tonight. And I hope you can manage to maybe get a uh maybe a glass of wine or two now to relax.

SPEAKER_00 27:20

Well, thank you, Jonathan, and I and thank you for your support and the work that you do in um you know leading the Liberal Democrats um within the council. And uh it's been a pleasure and a privilege to be part of your team. So thanks. Wishing you the best. We'll speak again soon, I hope. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01 28:05

All at first floor sixty-six Buckingham Gate, London, SW1E6AU.