THE Forest of Dean Constituency Labour Party has selected its candidates to contest the by-elections for Gloucestershire County Council and the Forest of Dean district Council following the death of Independent Forest of Dean and Glouestershire councillor Norman Stephens.

Jackie Fraser, who represents Mitcheldean and Drybrook on the Forest of Dean District Council, will contest the Gloucestershire County Council division of Mitcheldean. She is also a parish councillor for Mitcheldean.

A keen environmentalist, Jackie is a stalwart supporter of the HOOF (Hands Off Our Forest) campaign to prevent the selling off of England's publically-owned forests.

She said: "The Infrastructure Bill currently making its way through the legislative process could, if un-amended, allow any future government to dispose of public assets, including forests, without the need for further legislation. The fight to protect our Forest of Dean is far from over."

Jenny Shaw, a technology journalist specialising in web technology and business IT, is contesting the Newnham and Westbury seat on the Forest of Dean District Council. She is currently employed by the University of Gloucestershire as its web and social media officer. She learnt of her successful selection while on honeymoon.

"Like many residents, both my husband and I need to travel out of the district for work," Jenny said. "My husband travels to Cardiff and I travel to Cheltenham. The railway line that links them runs close to our home in Newnham. I will campaign for a second Forest railway station in the Elton area that could do so much to ease congestion on our roads."