Labour going Gedling

The latest information about local electoral matters is as follows:

East of England

• East Cambridgeshire district council: Philip Read, who was elected for the Conservatives in Sutton ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor. There is a byelection on 24 April in Sutton ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor and former council leader Peter Moakes, who was concerned about proposals for council reorganisation. Part of the reason for Philip Read’s resignation was concern about the Conservative selection procedure for this byelection. Term ends 2015.
• Epping Forest district council: Vacancy in Loughton Forest ward after the death of Loughton Residents’ Association councillor Colin Finn. Term ends in May.
• Fenland district council: Byelection on 8 May in Roman Bank ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Phil Hatton. Term ends 2015.
• St Albans city and district council: Vacancy in St Stephen ward after the death of Conservative councillor Gordon Myland. Term ends 2015.
• South Cambridgeshire district council: Vacancy in Bourn ward after the resignation of Clayton Hudson who is opposed to a recent planning decision. He was elected as a Conservative in a February 2011 byelection but left the party in February 2013 to sit as an Independent. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
• Southend-on-Sea council: There is an impending vacancy in Westborough ward as Independent councillor Martin Terry has announced his intention of resigning his seat in order to stand in Thorpe ward in this May’s ordinary council elections. Term ends 2015.
• Stevenage borough council: There are two vacancies. Longmeadow ward has a seat vacant after the disqualification of Conservative councillor Christine Hurst, who has not attended any meetings for six months; her term was due to end in May, so she will not be replaced in a byelection. Shephall ward has a seat vacant after the resignation of the Mayor of Stevenage, Jack Pickersgill, who was a Labour councillor. Term ends 2016.

East Midlands

• East Lindsey district council: Byelection on 24 April in Horncastle ward after the death of Conservative councillor Steve Newton. Term ends 2015.
• Gedling borough council: Lynda Pearson was elected councillor for Gedling ward on 27 March. She gains for the Labour Party a seat previously held by the Liberal Democrats.
• Harborough borough council: Colin Golding, who was elected for the Conservatives in Broughton Astley Broughton ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor. It is also noted that Steve Charlish, who was elected for the Conservatives in Billesdon ward, has also left the group and is sitting as an Independent.
• North East Derbyshire district council: Byelection on 10 April in Coal Aston ward after the death of Conservative councillor Mike Emmens. Term ends 2015.
• North Kesteven district council: Byelection on 24 April in Osbournby ward after the death of Independent councillor Jim Cook. Term ends 2015.

London

• Bexley borough council: Vacancy in Sidcup ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Jackie Evans, due to ill health; she has since died. No byelection will be held to replace her.
• Brent borough council: Vacancy in Dudden Hill ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Rev David Clues, who has been living and working in Brighton since December 2011. As his resignation was within six months of the end of his term, he will not be replaced in a byelection.
• Ealing borough council: Vacancy in Hobbayne ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Wendy Langham. With less than six months until the full council elections, there will be no byelection.
• Hackney borough council: Vacancy in Dalston ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Angus Mulready-Jones. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Havering borough council: Vacancy in Rainham and Wennington ward after the disqualification of Independent Resident councillor Mark Logan, who did not attend any meetings of the council in six months. As it is less than six months to the full council elections, there will be no byelection.
• Lambeth borough council: Vacancy in Streatham South ward after the sudden death of the Mayor of Lambeth, Mark Bennett, who was a Labour councillor. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
• Lewisham borough council: Vacancy in Evelyn ward after the death of Labour councillor Sam Owalabi-Oluyole. As his term had less than six months to run, there will be no byelection.
• Corporation of London: Nick Bensted-Smith was elected common councilman for Cheap ward on 25 March. He stood as an Independent candidate, like the outgoing councillor.
• Waltham Forest borough council: Vacancy in Higham Hill ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Geoff Hammond. As the vacancy occurred within six months of the end of the term, no byelection will be held.

North East

• Darlington borough council: Vacancy in Mowden ward after the death of Conservative councillor Ron Lewis. Term ends 2015.
• Hartlepool council: Vacancy in Seaton ward after the death of Independent councillor Cath Hill. As her term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
• South Tyneside borough council: Vacancy in West Park ward after the death of Labour councillor Bob Watters. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced in a byelection.
• Sunderland city council: Jacqui Gallagher was elected councillor for St Anne’s ward on 27 March, holding the seat for the Labour Party.

North West

• Blackburn with Darwen council: Vacancy in Higher Croft ward after the death of Labour councillor Dorothy Walsh. Term ends 2016.
• Blackpool council: There are two vacancies. Hawes Side ward has a seat vacant after the death of former Mayor and Labour councillor Norman Hardy. Layton ward has a seat vacant after the resignation of Labour councillor John Boughton. Both terms end in 2015.
• Cumbria county council: Byelection on 10 April in Carlisle Belle Vue division after the death of veteran Labour councillor Ian Stockdale. Term ends 2017.
• Fylde borough council: Mark Bamforth was elected councillor for St John’s ward on 27 March. Like his predecessor, he was sponsored by Fylde Ratepayers’ Association.
• Pendle borough council: Byelection on 3 April in Blacko and Higherford ward, after the disqualification of Conservative councillor Shelagh Derwent, who failed to attend any meetings of the council in six months. Term ends 2015.
• Preston city council: There are two vacancies. Fishwick ward has a seat vacant after the death of Labour councillor Tom Burns. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced in a byelection. Town Centre ward has a seat vacant after the resignation of Independent Socialist councillor Michael Lavalette for personal reasons. Term ends 2016.
• Wyre borough council: Vacancy in Hardhorn ward after the death of Conservative councillor Graeme Cocker. Term ends 2015.

South East

• Dartford borough council: Catherine Stafford was elected councillor for Stone ward on 27 March, holding the seat for the Labour Party.
• Lewes district council: James Page, who was elected for the Conservatives in East Saltdean and Telscombe Cliffs ward, and was Leader of the council until last month, has joined the Liberal Democrats. His move means the two groups are the same size on the council.
• Mole Valley district council: Vacancy in Ashtead Park ward after the resignation of Ashtead Independents councillor Richard Brooke, who has moved to the Netherlands. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Oxfordshire county council: Stephen Harrod was elected councillor for Chalgrove and Watlington division on 27 March. He holds the seat for the Conservatives.
• Tunbridge Wells borough council: Vacancy in Southborough and High Brooms ward after the death of Conservative councillor Colin Bothwell. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced in a byelection.
• Vale of White Horse district council: Byelection on 10 April in Wantage Charlton ward after the disqualification of John Morgan, who has been sentenced to a term of five years’ imprisonment. He was elected as a Conservative but was sitting as an Independent at the time of his disqualification. Term ends 2015.
• West Oxfordshire district council: Vacancy in Ducklington ward after the resignation of Independent councillor Steve Hayward, who has emigrated to Thailand. He was originally elected as a Conservative. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Worthing borough council: Vacancy in Marine ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Tom Wye. He resigned in order to protest at an out of court settlement with a council contractor. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced in a byelection.

South West

• Devon county council: Vacancy in Yealmpton division after the resignation of Conservative county councillor Will Mumford. Term ends 2017.
• South Hams district council: Vacancy in Salcombe and Malborough ward after the death of Conservative councillor John Carter. Term ends 2015.

West Midlands

• Birmingham city council: Vacancy in Sutton Trinity ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Philip Parkin, who wants to concentrate on his business. Term ends 2016. A double vacancy election on 22 May is likely.
• Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council: Two councillors who were elected as Liberal Democrats have joined the Labour Party. They are Billy Welsh and Simon White, both of whom represent Madeley ward.
• Wolverhampton city council: Vacancy in Wednesfield North ward after the death of Conservative councillor Neil Clarke. Term ends in May.
• Wychavon district council: Vacancy in Fladbury ward after the death of Conservative councillor Tom McDonald. Term ends 2015.

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Bradford city council: Vacancy in Craven ward after the death of Conservative councillor Michael Kelly. Term ends 2015.
• East Riding of Yorkshire council: Two councillors who were elected for the Conservatives have left the group to sit as Independents, after being deselected in their wards. They are Lena Slater (Cottingham South ward) and Geraldine Mathieson (Cottingham North ward). There is also an impending vacancy in Howdenshire ward, where Independent Conservative councillor Nick Evans has said he is intending to resign his council seat.
• Kingston upon Hull city council: Vacancy in Marfleet ward after the death of Labour councillor and deputy Lord Mayor Sheila Waudby. Term ends 2016.
• Scarborough borough council: Vacancy in Derwent Valley ward after the death of Mick Jay-Hanmer, who was elected as an Independent but was a member of the UK Independence Party. Term ends 2015.

Wales

• Cardiff city council: Gretta Marshall, who was elected for the Labour Party in Splott division, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• Flintshire county council: Byelection on 10 April in Flint Trelawny division after the death of Labour councillor Ted Evans. There is also a vacancy in Mostyn division after the disqualification of Independent councillor Patrick Heesom. The adjudication panel initially disqualified Heesom in July; the order was stayed by the High Court when Heesom appealed but the stay has since been lifted. Both terms end in 2017.
• Neath Port Talbot county borough council: Vacancy in Sandfields East ward after the death of Labour councillor Mike Davies, who was elected in a byelection in October last year. Term ends 2017.

Scotland

• Argyll and Bute council: Vacancy in Oban South and the Isles ward after the resignation of Fred Hall, in order to seek re-election. Hall was originally elected for the Scottish National Party but left the party in April last year to sit as an Independent. Term ends 2017; the byelection is expected to be held on 22 May.
• East Ayrshire council: Byelection on 27 March in Kilmarnock North ward after the death of Scottish National Party councillor Andrew Hershaw. Term ends 2017. The ruling SNP/Conservative coalition would lose its overall majority if it lost the byelection.
• Fife council: Impending vacancy in The Lochs ward due to the resignation of Labour councillor Alex Rowley, now Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cowdenbeath. Term ends 2017. It is intended to hold the byelection on 22 May, in conjunction with the European Parliament elections.
• Highland council: Byelection on 1 May in Caol and Mallaig ward due to the resignation of Independent councillor Eddie Hunter. Term ends 2017.
• Scottish Borders council: Byelection on 22 May in Hawick and Denholm ward after the death of Conservative councillor Zandra Elliott. Term ends 2017.

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