Moorlands town divides its affections

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

East Midlands

• Broxtowe borough council: Byelection on 15 March in Toton and Chilwell Meadows ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Craig Cox. Term ends 2015.
• High Peak district council: Vacancy in Buxton Central ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Philip Ashmore, who is moving to the USA. Term ends 2015. It is possible but unlikely that a Labour loss would affect control of the council.
• Newark and Sherwood district council: Vacancy in Lowdham ward after the death of the Chairman of the council, Keith Sheppard, who was a Conservative councillor. Term ends 2015.
• North West Leicestershire district council: Byelection on 16 February in Ibstock and Heather ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Stacey Harris. Term ends 2015.
• Northamptonshire county council: Chris Lofts was elected county councillor for Towcester division on 9 February. He gains for the Liberal Democrats a seat previously held by the Conservatives.
• Nottingham city council: Under the City of Nottingham (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor.
• Nottinghamshire county council: Byelection on 15 March in Chilwell and Toton division after the death of Conservative councillor and former Council Chairman Tom Pettengell. Term ends 2013.
• Oadby and Wigston borough council: Byelection on 16 February in Oadby Woodlands ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Malcolm Brown. Term ends 2015.
• South Northamptonshire district council: Lisa Samiotis of the Liberal Democrats was elected councillor for Towcester Brook ward on 9 February, gaining her seat from the Conservatives.

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: Christopher Hudson was elected councillor for Kesgrave and Rushmere St Andrew division on 9 February, holding the seat for the Conservative Party. 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: Geoff Lynch was elected councillor for Kesgrave East ward on 9 February, holding the seat for the Conservatives.
• 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

• Brent borough council: Vacancy in Dollis Hill ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Dr Alec Castle. Term ends 2014.
• Sutton borough council: Byelection on 16 February in Worcester Park ward, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Jennifer Campbell-Klomps who is emigrating. Term ends 2014.
• Tower Hamlets borough council: Shelina Aktar, who was elected in Spitalfields and Banglatown ward for the Labour Party but has more recently been sitting as an Independent supporting Mayor Lutfur Rahman, was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment on 6 February, having admitted benefit fraud. If she does not appeal against sentence, she will be disqualified as a councillor on 5 March.
• Wandsworth borough council: Vacancy in Southfields ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Lucy Allan, who claims she was not supported after recovering from illness. Term ends 2014.

North East

• Newcastle-upon-Tyne city council: Under the City of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor.
• South Tyneside borough council: Vacancy in Simonside and Rekendyke ward after the death of Labour councillor Joan Meeks. Term ends 2014. Her replacement is likely to be elected in a double vacancy election in May.

North West

• Bury borough council: Ian Bevan, who was elected as a Conservative in Ramsbottom ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent because of a disagreement with the group leadership. There is a 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.
• Liverpool city council: The council has voted to bring in a directly elected Mayor to lead the council, in order to help take charge of a new investment fund. The new Mayor will be elected on 3 May.
• Manchester city council: Under the City of Manchester (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor.
• South Lakeland district council: Jo Stephenson has returned to the council nine months after his defeat in Windermere Applethwaite and Troutbeck ward; he was elected councillor for Windermere Town ward on 9 February, holding the seat for the Liberal Democrats. There is also a vacancy in Ulverston North ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former council leader Colin Hodgson. Term ends May.

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.
• Fareham borough council: Byelection on 15 March in Portchester East ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Chris Brown, who faced disqualification after he did not attend any meetings of the council in six months. It seems that the previous information that the seat has a term finishing this May was inaccurate and it actually finishes in 2014.
• Hampshire county council: Pat Stallard was elected county councillor for Winchester Southern Parishes division on 9 February, holding the seat for the Conservatives.
• Havant borough council: Vacancy in Purbrook ward after the death of Conservative councillor David Farrow. As his term was due to end in May, he will not be replaced in a byelection.
• 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: There are two vacancies. Crockenhill and Well Hill ward is vacant after the death of Independent councillor Colin Dibsdall. Cowden and Hever ward is vacant after the resignation of Conservative councillor Gerry Ryan. Both terms end in 2015.
• Slough borough council: Byelection on 8 March in Baylis and Stoke ward after the disqualification of Labour councillor Azhar Qureshi who did not attend any meeting of the council in six months. Term ends 2014.
• Swale borough council: Byelection on 8 March in Kemsley ward after the death of veteran Conservative councillor and former Mayor Brenda Simpson. Term ends 2015.
• Worthing borough council: Vacancy in Offington ward after the death of Conservative councillor Reg Green. Term ends 2014. The byelection is expected to be held as a double vacancy election in May.

South West

• Bristol city council: Under the City of Bristol (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor.
• 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.
• Swindon council: Vacancy in Moredon ward after the death of Labour councillor Jenny Millin. As her term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for a replacement.
• West Devon district council: Vacancy in Tavistock North ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Darren Lake. Term ends 2015.

West Midlands

• Birmingham city council: Under the City of Birmingham (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor.
• Cannock Chase district council: Two councillors previously part of the Liberal Democrat group have decided to join the Liberal Party. They are Diane Bennett (Cannock West ward), who was originally elected as a Conservative, and Tony Williams (Hagley ward).
• Coventry city council: Under the City of Coventry (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor.
• Dudley borough council: Vacancy in Kingswinford North and Wall Heath ward after the resignation of Paul Woodall who was elected as a Conservative. He has pleaded guilty to assault. Term ends 2014.
• Shropshire council: Byelection on 1 March in Abbey division after the resignation of Conservative councillor Josephine Jones. Term ends 2013.
• Stafford borough council: Byelection on 8 March in Rowley ward after the death of Conservative councillor David Allan. Term ends 2015.
• Staffordshire county council: Neal Podmore was elected county councillor for Leek South division on 9 February. He gains for the Conservatives a seat previously held by the UK Independence Party.
• Staffordshire Moorlands district council: Charlotte Atkins, former Labour MP for Staffordshire Moorlands constituency, was elected councillor for Leek North ward on 9 February. She gained her seat from the UK Independence Party.
• Tamworth borough council: Vacancy in Mercian ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former Mayor Sam Munn. Term ends in May.

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Bradford city council: Under the City of Bradford (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor. There is a 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.
• Leeds city council: Under the City of Leeds (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor.
• 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: Byelection on 15 March in Hertford ward after the resignation of Green Party councillor Nick Harvey. Term ends 2015.
• Sheffield city council: Under the City of Sheffield (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor.
• City of Wakefield council: Under the City of Wakefield (Mayoral Referendum) Order 2012, the council will hold a referendum on 3 May to decide whether to have a directly-elected Mayor. There is a 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.
• Glasgow city council: A crunch vote on the council budget has led six councillors to leave the Labour group to sit as Independents. They are Anne Marie Millar (Southside Central ward), Stephen Dornan (Govan ward), Tommy Morrison (Greater Pollok ward), Andy Muir (Bailieston ward), William O’Rourke (Greater Pollok ward), and Ruth Black (Craigton ward).
• 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.
• West Dunbartonshire council: Vacancy in Dumbarton ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Geoff Calvert. As the full council election will be held in May, no byelection will be held.

---

---