Buckinghamshire local elections 2025: Potholes and litter on voters’ minds

On May 1, Bucks residents head to the polls to elect 97 new councillors to Buckinghamshire Council, which is currently controlled by the Conservatives.

Voters in High Wycombe spoke to the Local Democracy Reporting Service on Monday about some of the key issues at these elections.

Mick Garfield, 67, said: “The roads are in a terrible state. I’ve lived in this area for 15 years and they are disgusting.”

The Chesham resident, who used to live on the Costa Blanca, said Spain’s roads were generally ‘decent’ compared to those in Bucks.

The Waitrose worker also explained the national Labour government’s policies, such as cutting pensioners’ winter fuel payments, would also stop him voting for the party at a local level – even though these are council elections.

He said: “They’ve taken winter fuel allowance off me. The cost of living has gone up astronomically. I definitely won’t vote for them this time.”

Sisters Bernadette and Georgia Carter from Wycombe also shared their thoughts while out in the town centre on Monday.

Asked what the main issues were, Bernadette, 60, said: “The roads are absolutely diabolical. Streets, homeless people, thieves.

“People on the streets are not getting the help they need. This used to be a lovely town. The market used to be big. It’s not big now.”

Homelessness and crime were also some of the key issues for Bernadette and Georgia’s friend Sue Geller, a 46-year-old, who works as a cleaner, and who is also unlikely to vote.

Meanwhile Georgia is not voting at these elections, and when asked why, said: “Because I don’t trust anybody at the minute. And I’m glad I don’t live in America because that is a nightmare.”

Asked again about the Bucks elections, the 57-year-old added: “You are paying council tax for what? They don’t empty the bins at the park for dog walking. They are always full to the brim.”

The resident was referring to Fernie Fields – also known as Booker Recreation Ground – near Cressex Road, where overflowing dog poo and litter bins have been reported multiple times on FixMyStreet.

Responding to one report there from March 2025, the council said dog bins in the green space were emptied once or twice a week and that it would try to resolve the issue ‘as soon as possible’.

Shoppers Eric and Jill Clarke also offered their thoughts, with the state of Buckinghamshire’s roads one of the issues on their minds.

Speaking in the Eden Shopping Centre, Eric said: “Like everybody, I’d like not to be driving over potholes. I probably get through at least one tyre a year between the two cars.”

The retired scientist, 73, said potholes were the ‘biggest issue’ for him, but that roadworks by ‘cable companies’ who ‘don’t give much notice’ were also a problem.

He said: “Round here, they are digging up the road multiple times, especially the A40. We have to get up to Hazlemere from Flackwell Heath quite often to pick the grandkids up from school and you just can’t get up there sometimes.”

Retired retail worker Jill, 69, added: “You used to get a letter through the door saying there might be some disruption, but you never hear that anymore.”

Eric explained he was likely to vote for one of the independent candidates this time round and said he was very satisfied with his bin collections.

Another resident, who did not want to give his name, said traffic, speeding and littering were some of the main issues in his Disraeli ward, which will be represented by just a single councillor from May.

He said he would be happy with the election of either the Conservative candidate Councillor Maz Hussain, or his Labour rival Zafer Ali.