A WOMAN is standing as what is believed to be the North-East’s first openly transgender councillor.

Ellie Lowther is standing for election in East Cleveland, hoping to represent residents of the Lockwood ward on Redcar and Cleveland’s council.

The 48-year-old from Lingdale hopes to serve as inspiration to other transgender people while promising to deliver change and transparency for those living in the ward.

Despite being a tireless campaigner for the LGBT community, Ms Lowther says her focus will not be on gender politics but rather the problems facing the rural communities of East Cleveland.

She said: “When I moved up here, I thought I could be a person who hides away or I can get involved in the community and I’ve become fully immersed in it.

“People here just see me as Ellie – I’m trans but that’s not a dividing factor, people are people.

“I’m not standing to push myself forward but to push the issues that are important to my village.”

If elected, Ms Lowther will campaign for better bus services and the reestablishment of a foodbank in Lingdale while standing against the closure and redevelopment of prominent community facilities such as The Congs church.

She hopes to encourage better use of community facilities like village halls and will work to develop community cohesion through more projects and events.

She said: “Things like this don’t always take money, just people with time and the will to do it – it’s not rocket science.

“Parts of our community are being systematically demolished and it’s about giving residents services they can depend on.

“I want to do something to fight the corner of villagers, to focus on change with community cohesion and social inclusion.”

Also standing in the Lockwood area are Peter Berry for the Conservatives, Jackie Godward for Labour and independent Steve Kay.