Forthcoming byelections

Here is the state of play with forthcoming local authority byelections:

27 March

• Bedwell division, Hertfordshire county council after the death of Labour councillor Tanis Kent. The winner serves until 2009.
• Pin Green ward, Stevenage borough council, also following the death of Labour councillor Tanis Kent. This seat lasts until 2010.
• Redwell West ward, Wellingborough borough council, following the resignation of Conservative councillor David Old. The winner serves until 2011.

3 April

• Dunkeswell ward, East Devon district council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Mrs Marcelle Boote.The new councillor will serve to 2011.
• Parson Drove and Wisbech St Mary ward, Fenland district council, following the death of Cliff Edwards (Conservative). The winner serves until 2011.

10 April

• Holmewood and Heath ward, North East Derbyshire district council, following the death of Labour councillor Terry Fisher last August. His replacement will serve until 2011.
• Old Gore ward, Herefordshire county council, following the resignation of Conservative councillor Tessa McLean. Her replacement serves until 2011.

17 April

• Morland ward, Eden district council, after the death of Derek Jackson (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Stowmarket North and Stowupland division, Suffolk county council after the resignation of Alastair Liddell (Conservative). His replacement, the third councillor to represent the division since the last full council election, will serve until 2009 assuming they do not resign as well.

24 April

• Hinckley Castle ward, Hinckley and Bosworth borough council, after the death of Tom McClure of the Liberal Democrats. The winner serves until 2011.

1 May

This is the normal date at which local elections are due to be held. The following are the byelections taking place in authorities which would not otherwise have any elections:

• Abbey ward, Dumfries and Galloway council, following the resignation of Bill Hodgson (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Ashington Central ward, Wansbeck district council, following the disqualification of Barry Vasey (Fresh Party). The new councillor serves until 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Brompton ward, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, following the resignation of Margot James. Her replacement will serve until 2010.
• Flitwick East ward, Mid Bedfordshire district council, after the death of John Watton of the Liberal Democrats. The term ends in 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Greenford Broadway ward, Ealing borough council, after the resignation of Labour councillor and former group leader Sonika Nirwal. Her replacement will have a seat until 2010.
• Hale ward, Barnet borough council, caused by the resignation of Conservative councillor Jane Ellison. The new councillor will serve until 2010.
• Highgate ward, Camden borough council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Paul Barton. The new councillor will serve to 2010.
• Kidlington and Yarnton division, Oxfordshire county council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Maureen Hastings. Her replacement serves until 2009.
• Mendip North East division, Somerset county council, caused by the disqualification of Conservative councillor Michael St. John. The new councillor serves to 2009.
• Millwall ward, Tower Hamlets borough council, caused by the resignation of Simon Rouse (Conservative). The winner serves to 2010.
• Newcastle Rural division, Staffordshire county council, caused by the resignation of Robert Edwards (Conservative). The new councillor will serve until 2009.
• Queen’s Park ward, Bournemouth borough council, following the resignation of Conservative Alexander Adams. The new councillor will serve until 2011.
• Sands End ward, Hammersmith and Fulham borough council, following the resignation of Jeanette Bentley (Conservative). The new councillor will serve until 2010.
• Sedgefield ward, Sedgefield borough council also has a vacancy caused by the death of Independent councillor Jim Wayman. The winner will serve until 2009 when the authority is abolished.
• Sweeney and Trefonen ward, Oswestry borough council after the death of Richard Burman (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park ward, Thurrock council, after the resignation of Labour’s Paul Attah. There are elections due in Thurrock this year but this ward was not due to be part of them. The new councillor will serve until 2011.
• Troup ward, Aberdeenshire council, after the death of Mitchell Burnett of the Scottish National Party. The winner will serve until 2011.
• Weavers ward, Tower Hamlets borough council, caused by the resignation of the Liberal Democrat councillor Louise Alexander. Her replacement will serve until 2010.
• Winton East ward, Bournemouth borough council, following the resignation of Conservative Sue Cowley. The new councillor will serve until 2011.

The following are the ‘double vacancies’ where the vacancy will be filled in a multi-member election together with the seat that would ordinarily fall vacant this year.

• Banbury Hardwick ward, Cherwell district council, caused by the resignation of Stuart Robbins of the Conservative Party for business reasons. There will be a double vacancy in this ward on 1 May; the top polling candidate serves to 2012, the second to 2010.
• Barnwood ward, Gloucester city council, vacant after the resignation of Phil Taylor, who was elected as a Liberal Democrat in 2007 although he was sitting as a Conservative-supporting Independent at the time of his resignation. There will be a double vacancy electing to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• Hawks Green ward, Cannock Chase district council, vacant after the death of the Conservative deputy leader of the council Reg Butler. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• Hemsworth ward, Wakefield borough council, following the resignation of Labour councillor Wayne Jenkins. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• Madeley ward, Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council, following the resignation of Labour councillor Ashley Howells. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2010.
• Netherton and Orrell ward, Sefton borough council, after the death of Labour group leader Dave Martin. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• St John’s ward, Rushmoor district council, vacant after the death of Graham Tucker of the Conservatives. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• Tanhouse ward, West Lancashire district council after the death of Labour councillor Sally Keegan. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• Walton ward, Peterborough city council, caused by the resignation of Liberal Democrat David Vellam. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2010.

Undated

There are known to be Conservative vacancies in Abbey division, Cheshire county council, after the resignation of Shirley Harris, in Leftwich and Kingsmead ward, Vale Royal district council, following the resignation of Will Charlton, and in Rochester South and Horsted ward, Medway council, following the resignation of John Ward over a controversial post on his blog.

There is a further Labour seat vacant in Killamarsh West ward of North East Derbyshire district council, following the death of Colin Robinson.

The Liberal Democrats have vacancies in Chard Crimchard ward, South Somerset district council, following the death of Jean Smith, and Comeytrowe ward, Taunton Deane district council, following the death of Tony Floyd.

Brockworth division, Gloucestershire county council, is vacant following the resignation of Sean Connors of the Brockworth Residents Group. Canvey South ward of Castle Point district council is vacant after the resignation of Canvey Island Independent Natalie Darby. Unstone ward, North East Derbyshire district council, is vacant following the death of Fred Hopkinson, who was an Independent councillor.

No byelection

There are some seats vacant which will not be filled because the term of the councillor who caused the vacancy would have expired in May 2008.

• Bicester East ward, Cherwell district council, following the death of Dr Ajit Singh Bhart (Conservative).
• Bush Fair ward, Harlow borough council, following the death of Labour councillor Robert Eschle.
• Connah’s Quay South ward, Flintshire county council, following the death of Arthur Hannah (Labour).
• Godmanchester ward, Huntingdonshire district council, following the death of Carol Godley of the Conservatives.
• Hockley West ward, Rochford district council, vacant following the disqualification of Conservative councillor Liv Hungate for failing to attend any meetings in six months.
• Molesey North ward, Elmbridge borough council, following the death of Mick Burgess of the Molesey Residents’ Association.
• Rhyl South ward, Denbighshire county council, after the death of Conservative councillor Tom Hodgson.
• St Mary’s ward, Adur district council, vacant following the death of Mike Howard (Conservative).
• Scartho ward, North East Lincolnshire council, caused by the death of Conservative councillor Tony Rouse.
• The Havens ward, Pembrokeshire county council, after the death of Liberal Democrat leader Bill Philipin.
• Walkden South ward, Salford city council, following the resignation of Labour councillor Stan Witkowski.
• Walton North ward, Elmbridge borough council, caused by the disqualification of Alexander Nissen for failing to attend any meeting in the past six months.
• Wrenthorpe and Outwood West ward, Wakefield borough council, vacant after the resignation of Conservative councillor Anthony Calvert.
• Yew Tree ward, Liverpool city council, after the death of Bob Ousby of the Liberal Democrats.

(NB post updated, 26 March)

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