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Standing as a first time, independent candidate in the recent local elections was an experience not to be missed. And my filing of expenses has reminded me that I really ought to put some tips in print for any future would-be local election candidates.

If you’ve never stood as an independent in a local election but have thought about it, here are my top ten tips.

1) Be realistic, about your chances as an independent, it’s about taking votes away from the sitting councillor rather than winning the election yourself. But be prepared for surprises. While I knew the main political parties would be ahead, I was quite pleased to beat the Greens and a popular local party and come in just 12 votes behind the Lib Dems!

2) Plan well ahead. As an independent you’ll need to get your name out there early with a campaign or community newsletter. My Wake Up Ashbrow! newsletter proved so popular with locals I’ve committed to making it a regular e-publication and gathered a small editorial team together made up of people who responded to the first issue. The newsletters can be viewed at www.makethatchange.co.uk

3) Don’t go overboard with over-flashy campaign literature. The Kirklees Save Our Services Party distributed a four-side, full colour, A4 brochure and I still beat them with just a black and white, two sided flyer. It’s the quality of what you have to say and how it’s delivered that matters.

4) Get your posters on the poles. This is where you can really make an impact. I designed eye-catching bright pink posters with bold black and white text and got them up on the lighting poles well over a week before the competition. By the end of the first week just about everyone in the area knew my name.

5) Take all the help you can get. Because I wasn’t standing for a political party, lots of local people offered to distribute my campaign flyers on their street or around the local area. And with over 8,000 households in my ward, I really needed the help.

6) Wear good walking shoes and have a waterproof coat to hand. It rained almost every day we distributed campaign flyers.

7) Go along to the opening of the postal vote boxes the week before the election results are announced. This is where you’ll get a reasonable idea of how you’ve done so there’ll be fewer surprises at the actual count.

Get a thick skin, you’ll need it!

9) Enjoy the experience and don’t take yourself too seriously.

10) Immediately after the election results are announced, get your campaign team round and party hard, you’ll have deserved it!