FOUR candidates are set to stand in the Risca East council by-election next month.

With the deadline to contest the seat closing earlier this month, the race to replace the position vacated by Rhianon Passmore, now Islwyn's Welsh Assembly member, is set to be a hot one on Thursday, October 6.

The incumbent Labour party’s candidate is the ex-councillor’s daughter, Arianna, who has been a member for Risca East Community Council's Trenewydd Ward over the last four years.

A music and film teacher, Miss Passmore is a former student of Risca Comprehensive and studied at the University of South Wales.

Miss Passmore, 27, said: “I have lived all my life in Risca, went to school here, work here and everyone knows me and I would never want to be anywhere else.

“As a teacher I engage and listen to a lot with teenagers aged 16 to 18 and feel I have the right skills to involve younger people. It’s a good place but we have to fight to keep facilities, especially for young people, open and that’s what I will be fighting for.”

UKIP’s candidate for the election is Leicester-born ex-Royal Engineers serviceman and Falklands Conflict veteran Joe Smyth, who now lives in Newbridge.

Mr Smyth is well known to the electorate across Islwyn after standing as the party’s candidate at both last year’s general election and this year’s Assembly elections, coming second in both.

Mr Smyth, 53, said: “Since I have been campaigning for UKIP over the last four years, people’s perceptions have changed and that's how I got 22.2 per cent at last year’s Assembly elections.

“For years the valleys have been a one-horse Labour race and they have been able to do what they want but that is changing and people are listening. Representing local people on issues they care about, whether that’s dog fowling or transport issues for commuters.”

The Liberal Democrats have also selected their candidate from this year’s Welsh Assembly elections, Matthew Kidner, a mechanical engineer who lives in nearby Newbridge.

Mr Kidner, who has a master’s degree in project management, states that he will stand to keep local amenities open.

Mr Kidner, 33, said: “This is a real opportunity for the people of Risca to show their liberal values. We have grown in members by 15,000 since Brexit and we are a party that has a real chance.

“The closure of local services across nearby areas is a big thing and I have been involved in trying to prevent that in Newbridge where we are fighting the banks and other services. People that don’t have the internet are the ones that need local infrastructure and we need to keep hold of that.”

Plaid Cymru has picked Risca East Community Council member for Pontymister Upper, Matthew Farrell.

Current chair of the Youth Forum of South Caerphilly County, he is also involved in local charities, sport, local residents' associations and Risca United AFC.

Mr Farrell said: “I have concerns over waste, worsening services and an administration that is out of touch. The Local Development Plan (LDP) - proposing building on the green space between High Trees and Snowden Close - failed. However, a huge amount of money wasted trying to push the ill-fated LDP through.

“I have heard of flytipping occurring wide and far, including Ochrwyth and Twmbarlwm and this flytipping is costing a residents another pile of money. Then, there’s the ongoing huge cost of senior management salaries at Caerphilly council. Residents are paying the costs in their council tax”