Rain in Hendon; Conservatives win byelection

Posted by David Boothroyd
View David's blog
13 years ago / January 27, 2012

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

East Midlands

East of England

  • Braintree district council: There are three byelections on 15 March, all caused by the resignations of Conservative councillors who have moved out of the area. Braintree East ward will be electing a replacement for David Messer, Braintree South ward will replace Stephen Sandbrook, and Great Notley and Braintree West ward will replace Claire Sandbrook. All terms end in 2015.
  • Harlow borough council: Vacancy in Mark Hall ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Nick Macy who was the sole member of his party remaining on the council. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
  • Hertfordshire county council: Vacancy in Waltham Cross division after the death of Conservative councillor Terry Price. Term ends 2013.
  • Hertsmere borough council: Vacancy in Potters Bar Furzefield ward after the death of Conservative councillor Ron Morris. Term ends 2015.
  • Ipswich borough council: Vacancy in Bixley ward after the death of leading Conservative councillor Russell Harsant. Term ends 2014.
  • Suffolk county council: Byelection on 9 February in Kesgrave and Rushmere St Andrew division after the death of Conservative councillor John Klaschka. There is also a vacancy in Bixley division after the death of leading Conservative councillor Russell Harsant. Both terms end in 2013.
  • Suffolk Coastal district council: Byelection on 9 February in Kesgrave East ward after the death of Conservative councillor John Klaschka. Term ends 2015.
  • Tendring district council: Vacancy in St Bartholomews ward after the death of former council chairman Mary Bragg who sat as an Independent but was sponsored by the Holland-on-Sea Residents’ Association. Term ends 2015.
  • Thurrock council: Vacancy in Corringham and Fobbing ward after the resignation of Independent Conservative councillor and former Mayor Ian Harrison. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced in a byelection. His resignation means that the Labour group now has exactly half of the members of the council.

London

North East

North West

  • Bury borough council: Vacancy in East ward after the death of Labour councillor and former Mayor John Byrne. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for his replacement. His death removes the Labour group overall majority.
  • Carlisle city council: Vacancy in Castle ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Jim Tootle. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
  • Cumbria county council: Byelection on 1 March in Castle division after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Jim Tootle. Term ends 2013.
  • Salford city council: The referendum on whether to introduce a directly-elected Mayor held on 26 January resulted in a Yes vote, by a margin of 17,344 to 13,653 (a turnout of 18.1%). There will therefore be a Mayoral election on 3 May.
  • South Lakeland district council: Byelection on 9 February in Windermere Town ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Sandra Britton. The term ends in 2015. There is also a vacancy in Ulverston North ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former council leader Colin Hodgson. Term ends May.
  • Stockport borough council: John Smith, who was elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor for Offerton ward, has joined the Conservative Party because he supports their handling of the economy. Meanwhile Patrick McAuley, who was elected as a Labour Party councillor in Manor ward, has left the party, citing personal rather than political reasons. It appears that owing to a family illness he is temporarily unable to meet the financial and campaigning commitments expected by the Labour group. He has stated that he hopes to return to the party next year.

South East

  • Adur district council: Vacancy in Eastbrook ward following the disqualification of Liberal Democrat councillor Gavin Ayling, who failed to attend any meetings of the council in six months. The term ends in May.
  • Hampshire county council: Byelection on 9 February in Winchester Southern Parishes division after the death of Conservative councillor and Vice-Chairman of the council Frederick Allgood who was also a former Mayor of Winchester. Term ends 2013.
  • Horsham district council: Byelection on 16 February in Itchingfield, Slinfold and Warnham ward after the resignation of council leader Robert Nye, who was a Conservative councillor. Term ends 2015.
  • Oxfordshire county council: Vacancy in Watlington division after the death of Conservative councillor Roger Belson. Term ends 2013.
  • Portsmouth city council: Vacancy in Paulsgrove ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Mike Blake. As he resigned within six months of his term ending in May, no byelection will be held.
  • Sevenoaks district council: Vacancy in Crockenhill and Well Hill ward after the death of Independent councillor Colin Dibsdall. Term ends 2015.
  • Swale borough council: Vacancy in Kemsley ward after the death of veteran Conservative councillor and former Mayor Brenda Simpson. Term ends 2015.

South West

  • Stroud district council: Vacancy in Severn ward after the death of Conservative councillor Norman Smith. As his term was due to end in May he will not be replaced until then.

West Midlands

Yorkshire and the Humber

  • Bradford city council: Vacancy in Keighley West ward after the resignation of Robert Payne. Originally elected as a Conservative, he was sitting as an Independent after being convicted of fraud, and was recently imprisoned for cruelty to cats. His term was due to end in May so there will be no byelection for his replacement.
  • Rotherham borough council: Vacancy in Brinsworth and Catcliffe ward after the disqualification of John Gamble, who had originally been elected for the British National Party but left the party and later joined the England First Party and then the National Front. Former councillor Gamble did not attend any meetings of the council in six months, but as his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection for his replacement.
  • Scarborough borough council: Vacancy in Hertford ward after the resignation of Green Party councillor Nick Harvey. Term ends 2015.
  • Wakefield borough council: Vacancy in Hemsworth ward after the resignation of Independent councillor Ian Womersley. His term was due to end in May so there will be no byelection.

Wales

  • Carmarthenshire county council: Vacancy in Tycroes division after the death of Labour councillor and former chairman Dewi Enoch. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
  • Newport city council: There are two seats vacant. Alway division has a vacancy after the death of veteran Labour councillor Ken Powell. Allt-yr-yn division has a vacancy after the death of veteran Conservative councillor Les Knight. Both terms were due to end in May; no byelection can be called in Allt-yr-yn and although a byelection could be called in Alway, it is expected that the seat will be left vacant.
  • Pembrokeshire county council: Vacancy in Pembroke Dock Central division after the resignation of Labour group deputy leader Kate Becton, following a conviction for drink driving. As her term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
  • Swansea city and county council: Vacancy in Castle division after the death of Labour councillor Barbara Hynes. Although a byelection could be called, the term will end in May and so it is expected that the seat will be left vacant.

Scotland

  • Argyll and Bute council: Vacancy in Oban South and The Isles ward after the death of Scottish National Party councillor Donald McIntosh. As it is less than six months until the end of his term, no byelection can be called.
  • East Ayrshire council: There are two vacancies. A seat in Ballochmyle ward is vacant after the death of Labour councillor Jimmy Kelly, and a seat in Doon Valley ward is vacant after the resignation of Scottish National Party councillor Drew Filson. As both vacancies occurred within six months of the full council elections, there will be no byelections.
  • Orkney Islands Council: Vacancy in Stomness and South Isles ward after the death of Independent councillor John Eccles. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
  • Renfrewshire council: Vacancy in Renfrew North ward after the resignation of Scottish National Party councillor Derek Mackay, now Member of the Scottish Parliament for Renfrewshire North and West, who has been named as Minister Designate for Local Government and Planning in the Scottish Government. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection for a replacement.

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