Dear Sir, I wish to protest most strongly …

The latest information about local council electoral matters is as follows:

East Midlands

• Amber Valley borough council: There are two vacancies. Heage and Ambergate ward after the resignation of Juliette Blake. Shipley Park, Horsley and Horsley Woodhouse ward is vacant after the resignation of Nigel Mills, now MP for Amber Valley. Both former councillors were Conservatives and both terms end in 2012.
• Newark and Sherwood district council: Vacancy in Southwell East ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Pauline Jenkins. As her term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection to replace her.
• North West Leicestershire district council: Two seats are vacant. Hugglescote ward has a vacant seat after the resignation of Graham Partner who had been elected as a British National Party councillor, and Measham ward has a vacant seat after Conservative councillor Jason Summerfield was disqualified for failing to attend any meetings in six months. Both terms were due to end in May so will not be filled in byelections.
• South Holland district council: Vacancy in Spalding St Paul’s ward, after the disqualification of Conservative councillor Jane Jones for failing to attend any meeting of the council for six months. As her term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.

East of England

• Bedford borough council: Vacancy in Harpur ward after the death of veteran Conservative councillor Brian Dillingham. As he was in a term due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• East Hertfordshire district council: Vacancy in Bishops Stortford Silverleys ward after the death of veteran Conservative councillor Duncan Peek. No byelection will be held as his term was due to expire in May.
• Fenland district council: Vacancy in March North ward after the death of former Mayor of March John West, who was a Conservative councillor. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Harlow borough council: There are two vacancies, in Staple Tye and in Sumners and Kingsmoor ward, due to the resignations of husband and wife Conservative councillors Lee and Sarah Dangerfield respectively. In both cases their resignation comes within six months of the end of their term and so no byelections will be held.
• King’Lynn and West Norfolk borough council: Vacancy in Hunstanton ward after the death of Conservative councillor Richard Searle. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
• North Norfolk district council: Vacancy in The Raynhams ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Dawn Wakefield due to ill health. As her term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• South Norfolk district council: Vacancy in Rustens ward due to the resignation of Conservative councillor Daniel Cox who has moved to India. As his term ends in May, no byelection can be held.
• Suffolk county council: Vacancy in Wilford division after the death of Conservative councillor and former portfolio holder for culture, Rosie Clarke. Term ends 2013. The byelection is likely to take place on 5 May.
• Waveney district council: There are two vacancies. Oulton Broad ward is vacant after the resignation of Sandy Keller, and Southwold and Reydon is vacant after the resignation of Simon Tobin due to pressure of business. Both were Conservatives. Waveney has decided to change to all-out elections so both terms were due to end in May, and therefore there will be no byelections.

London

• Corporation of London: Virginia Rounding was elected councillor for Faringdon Within ward on 14 March. The council is non-partisan but she was nominated by the sister of the councillor whose resignation led to the byelection. There are two vacancies. Farringdon Without ward has a vacant seat after the death of Michael Farrow; Lime Street ward has a vacant seat after the resignation of Deputy Christine Cohen.
• Lewisham borough council: Byelection on 24 March in Bellingham ward after the death of 40-year veteran Labour councillor Ron Stockbridge, who was leader of the council in the 1980s. Term ends 2014.

North East

• Newcastle-upon-Tyne city council: Vacancy in Elswick ward due to the death of Labour councillor Doreen James. Term ends 2012.
• South Tyneside borough council: Vacancy in Cleadon and East Boldon ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor and former group leader David Potts. Term ends 2014.
• Stockton-on-Tees borough council: There are three vacancies. First, Billingham East ward, after the resignation of Labour councillor Alex Cunningham, now MP for Stockton North. Second, Ingleby Barwick East ward, caused by the resignation of Ingleby Barwick Independent Society member Andrew Larkin. Third, Mandale and Victoria ward, after the death of councillor Allison Trainer, who was a member of the Thornaby Independent Association. All three terms end this May.

North West

• Blackpool council: There are two vacancies, both resulting from the deaths of councillors; there is a full council election in May. Conservative councillor Jean Kenrick of Stanley ward died before the six month period and so a byelection could theoretically be called. Liberal Democrat councillor Doreen Holt of Bloomfield ward will leave a vacant seat until May.
• Burnley borough council: There are two seats vacant. Bank Hall ward has a vacant seat after Labour councillor Imtiaz Hussain was disqualified for failing to attend any meetings of the council in six months. Rosehill with Burnley Wood has a vacant seat after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Frank Ashworth. Both of their terms were due to end in May so there will be no byelections for replacements.
• Ribble Valley borough council: Vacancy in Salthill ward after the disqualification of Conservative councillor Simon Farnsworth, who has not attended any meeting of the council for six months. With less than six months to go before the next council elections, no byelection will be held.
• Rochdale borough council: Mohammad Sharif, who was elected as a Liberal Democrat in Milkstone and Deeplish ward but left the party in December 2010, has joined the Conservatives.
• South Lakeland district council: Vacancy in Levens ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Brenda Woof. Term ends 2012.
• South Ribble borough council: Vacancy in Earnshaw Bridge ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Irvine Edwards. His term was due to end in May so there will be no byelection.
• Warrington council: Vacancy in Westbrook ward due to the resignation of Labour councillor Natalie Douglas. Term ends 2014.
• West Lancashire borough council: There are two vacancies. Derby ward has a seat vacant after the death of Conservative councillor David Swiffen. Although the term ends in May, a by-election could be called. Rufford ward has a vacancy after the death of Conservative councillor Joan Colling. Term ends 2012.

South East

• Arun district council: Vacancy in Barnham ward after the resignation of Independent councillor Melissa Briggs who has moved out of the district. As her term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Ashford borough council: Vacancy in Kennington ward after the death of Conservative councillor Major John Kemp. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Brighton and Hove city council: Vacancy in Hangleton and Knoll ward after the death of Conservative councillor David Smart. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
• Dartford borough council: Vacancy in Stone ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Derek Lawson. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
• East Hampshire district council: Vacancy in Whitehill Pinewood ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Ian Dowdle. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
• Hampshire county council: Byelection on 5 May in Lee division after the resignation of Conservative councillor Margaret Snaith-Tempia. Term ends 2013.
• Mid Sussex district council: Vacancy in Haywards Heath Bentswood ward after the death of Labour councillor Paddy Henry. As his term was due to end in May, there can be no byelection to replace him.
• New Forest district council: Vacancy in Marchwood ward after the death of Conservative councillor Alan Shotter. Term ends May; as his death occurred more than six months before the end of the term, there may be a byelection.
• Reading borough council: Vacancy in Whitley ward after the sudden death of Labour councillor Jim Hanley. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection to replace him.
• Sevenoaks district council: Vacancy in Swanley St Marys ward after the resignation of Paul Golding of the British National Party. As his term would have ended in May, there can be no byelection.
• Shepway district council: Vacancy in Romney Marsh ward after Conservative councillor Toby Clifton-Holt was disqualified for failing to attend any meetings of the council in six months. As the vacancy occurred within six months of the end of his term, there will be no byelection.
• Slough council: Vacancy in Foxborough ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Sonja Jenkins. As her term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
• South Oxfordshire district council: There are two vacancies, in Didcot Northbourne ward due to the resignation of Lyndon Elias, and in Sandford ward due to the resignation of Pamela Tomlinson. Both were Conservatives and in both cases their resignations are within six months of the end of their terms in May so there will be no byelection.
• Thanet district council: Vacancy in Bradstowe ward after the disqualification of Ewen Cameron who was elected as a Conservative but was last sitting as an Independent after resigning the whip. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Tunbridge Wells borough council: Claire Brown was elected councillor for Pembury ward on 17 March. She gains a previously Conservative seat for the Liberal Democrats. There is another vacancy in Brenchley and Horsmonden ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Marcella Callow. Term ends 2012.
• Wealden district council: Vacancy in Hailsham South and West ward after the resignation of Independent councillor Nick Ellwood in advance of a Standards Board hearing. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• West Berkshire council: Vacancy in Mortimer ward after the death of veteran Liberal Democrat councillor Keith Lock. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
• Wycombe district council: Paul Lambourne, who was elected as a Conservative in Sands ward, has joined the Liberal Democrats.

South West

• Bath and North East Somerset council: Vacancy in Lambridge ward after the death of Conservative Councillor Richard Maybury, who was Deputy Mayor of Bath. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Plymouth city council: Vacancy in Plymstock Dunstone ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former Lord Mayor David Viney. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• South Gloucestershire council: Vacancy in Emersons Green ward after the death of Conservative councillor Ian Morris. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Stroud district council: Vacancy in Uplands ward after the death of Independent councillor Linda Townley; as she died within six months of the end of her term in May, there will be no byelection.
• Torbay council: There are two vacant seats. Roundham with Hyde ward is vacant after the death of Kevin Carroll, and Shiphay with the Willows ward has a vacancy after the death of Roger Kerslake. Both were Conservatives and had terms due to end in May, so there will be no byelections.

West Midlands

• Bromsgrove district council: Vacancy in Wythall South ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor John Duddy who is moving out of the borough. His term was due to end in May so there will be no byelection.
• Nuneaton and Bedworth district council: Byelection on 5 May in Bar Pool ward, after the resignation of Frank McGale (Labour) due to ill health. Term ends 2014.
• Solihull borough council: Vacancy in Shirley West ward after the disqualification of Liberal Democrat councillor Brynn Tudor, who failed to attend any meetings of the council in six months. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection to replace him.
• South Staffordshire district council: Vacancy in Bilbrook ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former Chairman of the council Ken Mackie. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced at a byelection.
• Stafford borough council: There are two vacant seats, both arising from the deaths of Conservative councillors. They are Peter Proctor of Barlaston and Oulton ward, and Doug Davis of Milwich ward. Both terms were due to end in May so there will be no byelections.
• Staffordshire Moorlands district council: Vacancy in Churnet ward after the death of veteran Independent councillor Lionel Richardson. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
• Walsall borough council: Vacancy in Aldridge Central and South ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor John O’Hare. Term ends 2014.

Yorkshire and the Humber

• No updates this week.

Wales

• Isle of Anglesey county council: The Local Government Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government, Carl Sargeant, has appointed two commissioners to take charge of the county council. The commissioners will make all executive decisions until at least 2012 when the next full council elections are to be held. The appointment of commissioners follows many years of infighting and critical audit reports.
• Torfaen county borough council: Byelection on 24 March in Pontypool ward after the resignation of Independent councillor Fred Wildgust. Term ends 2012.

Scotland

• Aberdeen city council: Byelection on 19 May in Dyce/Bucksburn/Danestone ward after the death of veteran Liberal Democrat councillor Ron Clark. Term ends 2012.
• Highland council: Byelection on 7 April in Wick ward after the resignation of Independent councillor Katrina MacNab. There is another vacancy in Tain and Easter Ross ward, after the death of Alan Torrance who was elected as an Independent but had joined the Scottish National Party group. Both terms end in 2012.
• Renfrewshire council: Roy Glen, the Labour Party candidate, was elected councillor for Paisley South ward on 17 March. He gains a seat previously held by the Scottish National Party.

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