Tavistock has gone Moody

Posted by David Boothroyd
View David's blog
12 years ago / March 23, 2012

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

East Midlands

East of England

  • Basildon borough council: Vacancy in Billericay West ward after the death of the deputy Leader of the council, Stephen Horgan, who was a Conservative councillor. Term ends 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: Dee Hart was elected county councillor for Waltham Cross division on 22 March. She holds the seat for the Conservative Party. There is also a vacancy in Meriden Tudor division after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Audrey Oaten. Both terms end in 2013.
  • Hertsmere borough council: There will be a double vacancy election in May in Potters Bar Furzefield ward, after the death of Conservative councillor Ron Morris. The terms end in 2016 and 2015.
  • Ipswich borough council: Vacancy in Bixley ward after the death of leading Conservative councillor Russell Harsant. Term ends 2014.
  • North Norfolk district council: Byelection on 26 April in Waterside ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Simon Partridge. Term ends 2015.
  • Suffolk county council: Vacancy in Bixley division after the death of leading Conservative councillor Russell Harsant. Term ends 2013.
  • Tendring district council: Chris Cowlin was elected councillor for St Bartholomews ward on 22 March. As with the previous councillor, he was sponsored by the Holland-on-Sea Residents’ Association and is expected to join the Independent group on the council.
  • 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

  • Barking and Dagenham borough council: Byelection on 19 April in Goresbrook ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Louise Couling. She had been absent from council meetings since January 2011 due to ill health but resigned before the meeting on Wednesday 22 February, at which the council was due to consider whether to grant a further leave of absence. Term ends 2014.
  • Barnet borough council: Byelection on Wednesday 11 April in East Finchley ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Andrew McNeil for family reasons. Term ends 2014.
  • Brent borough council: Alison Hopkins was elected councillor for Dollis Hill ward on 22 March. She held the seat for the Liberal Democrats. There is also a byelection in Barnhill ward on 3 May after the resignation of Labour councillor Judith Beckman, who has moved out of the borough. Term ends 2014.
  • Camden borough council: Byelection on 3 May in Camden Town and Primrose Hill ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Thomas Neumark, who is moving to the USA. Term ends 2014.
  • Hackney borough council: Byelection on 3 May in Hackney Central ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Alan Laing. Term ends 2014.
  • Royal Borough of Kingston council: Vacancy in Coombe Hill ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor and former council leader David Edwards due to ill health. Term ends 2014; the byelection is expected to be held on 3 May. Meanwhile Tim Dennen, who was elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor in Canbury ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
  • Merton borough council: Vacancy in Wimbledon Park ward, after the resignation of Tariq Ahmad, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon. Term ends 2014. The byelection is expected to be held on 3 May.
  • Tower Hamlets borough council: Byelection on 19 April in Spitalfields and Banglatown ward after the disqualification of councillor Shelina Aktar, who has not appealed her sentence of sixteen weeks’ imprisonment for failing to notify a change in circumstances when claiming benefit. Originally elected as Labour, she had left the party to sit as an Independent supporting Mayor Lutfur Rahman. Term ends 2014.
  • Wandsworth borough council: Byelection on 29 March in Southfields ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Lucy Allan, who claims she was not supported after recovering from illness. Term ends 2014.
  • Westminster city council: Vacancy in Hyde Park ward after the resignation of former council leader and Conservative councillor Colin Barrow. Term ends 2014.

North East

  • Darlington borough council: There are two byelections on 12 April. That in Harrowgate Hill ward follows the disqualification of Mark Burton, who was sentenced to 22 months’ imprisonment for sexual offences. He was originally elected as Labour but was removed from the group when he was charged. That in Hurworth ward follows the disqualification of Liberal Democrat councillor Martin Swainston, who did not attend any meetings of the council in six months. Both terms end in 2015.
  • South Tyneside borough council: There are two vacancies. Harton ward has a seat vacant after the death of the council’s longest serving member, Progressive councillor Jim Capstick As his term was due to expire in May, there will be no byelection. Simonside and Rekendyke ward has a vacancy 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.
  • Sunderland city council: There will be a double vacancy election in Sandhill ward on 3 May, after the death of Labour councillor John Gallagher. The terms end in 2016 and 2015.

North West

  • Blackpool council: There are two vacancies. Bloomfield ward has a seat vacant after the death of Labour councillor and former Mayor Mary Smith. Marton ward has a seat vacant after the death of Conservative councillor Jim Houldsworth. Both terms end in 2015.
  • Bolton borough council: On 3 May there will be an election for three councillors in Bradshaw ward. Diana Brierley and Paul Brierley, a married couple who were Conservative councillors, have both resigned from the council due to work commitments and seeking to move out of the borough; their terms were due to end in 2015 and 2014 respectively.
  • 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: Vacancy in Kendal Strickland and Fell division after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Brendan Jameson. Term ends 2013.
  • Halton borough council: There are two vacancies, both caused by the deaths of Labour councillors. Grange ward has a vacant seat after the death of former Mayor John Swain. Riverside ward has a vacant seat after the death of Dave Leadbetter. Both terms were due to end in May so there will be no byelections for replacements..
  • Pendle borough council: There will be a double vacancy election on 3 May in Boulsworth ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor George Askew. The terms end 2016 and 2014.
  • South Lakeland district council: There are two vacancies, both caused by the deaths of former council leaders. Kendal Fell ward is vacant after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Brendan Jameson, who was leader of the council until his death; the term ends in 2014. Ulverston North ward has a vacant seat after the death of Conservative councillor Colin Hodgson; the term ends in May the seat will be filled in the ordinary election.

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.
  • Chichester district council: Byelection in Plaistow ward on 19 April, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Linda Westmore. Term ends 2015.
  • 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.
  • Oxfordshire county council: Byelection on 19 April 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 byelections on 29 March. That in Crockenhill and Well Hill ward follows the death of Independent councillor Colin Dibsdall. That in Cowden and Hever ward is caused by the resignation of Conservative councillor Gerry Ryan. Both terms end in 2015.
  • South Oxfordshire district council: Christopher Quinton, who was elected as a Conservative in Woodcote ward, has joined the UK Independence Party.
  • Southampton city council: There are two vacancies, both caused by councillors resigning their seats. A seat in Bitterne Park ward has been vacated by Conservative councillor Phil Williams, while a seat in Peatree has been vacated by Liberal Democrat councillor Gerry Drake. Both vacancies are expected to be filled in double vacancy elections in May. Both terms end in 2014.
  • Surrey county council: Vacancy in Worplesdon division after the resignation of Conservative councillor Nigel Sutcliffe. Term ends 2013.
  • Tunbridge Wells borough council: There are two double vacancy elections on 3 May. Broadwater ward will elect two councillors after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Peter Crawford. Pembury ward will elect two councillors after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Claire Brown, who had gained the seat from the Conservatives in a byelection in 2011. In both wards the two terms end in 2016 and 2014.
  • Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead: Two councillors have left the Conservative group to join the UK Independence Party. They are the married couple of Catherine Bursnall (Castle Without ward) and Tom Bursnall (Clewer East ward).
  • Worthing borough council: There will be a double vacancy election on 3 May in Offington ward after the death of Conservative councillor Reg Green. The terms end in 2016 and 2014.

South West

  • Plymouth city council: Vacancy in Plympton Erle ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor John Lock. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
  • South Gloucestershire council: The full council has voted to abolish the council leader and cabinet system allowing executive decision-making, and return to the committee system. The decision was opposed by the minority Conservative administration and is likely to result in an all-party leadership after May.
  • Stroud district council: At the time of the local elections on 3 May there will also be a byelection in Coaley and Uley ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Graham Trave. Term ends 2014. There is also a 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: Jeffrey Moody was elected councillor for Tavistock North ward on 22 March. He stood as an Independent candidate and takes a seat previously held by the Conservatives.

West Midlands

  • Cannock Chase district council: Vacancy in Hagley ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Gordon Brown. Term ends 2015.
  • Dudley borough council: There are two vacancies. Kingswinford North and Wall Heath ward has a seat vacant after the resignation of Paul Woodall who was elected as a Conservative but sitting as an Independent; he has pleaded guilty to assault. Woolaston and Stourbridge Town ward has a vacancy after the death of Conservative councillor Margaret Cowell. The terms end in 2014 (Kingswinford North) and 2015 (Woolaston).
  • Redditch borough council: Vacancy in Church Hill ward after the death of Labour councillor Robin King. Term ends 2015.
  • 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: 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.
  • East Riding of Yorkshire council: Byelection on 3 May in Holderness South East ward after the death of Conservative councillor Richard Stead. Term ends 2015.
  • 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.
  • City of Wakefield 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

  • Caerphilly county borough council: Vacancy in Argoed division after the death of Labour councillor Allen Williams. The term ends in May so there will be no byelection for a replacement.
  • 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: Three seats are vacant. Castle division has a seat vacant after the death of Labour councillor Barbara Hynes. Penyrheol division has a seat vacant after the resignation of Independent councillor Alan Jopling, who has moved to the north of England. Townhill division has a seat vacant after the death of Labour councillor Billy Jones. Penyrheol and Townhill divisions cannot have byelections because the vacancies have occurred within six months of the term ending in May; a byelection could be called for Castle division, but it is expected that the seat will be left vacant.

Scotland

  • Argyll and Bute council: There are two vacancies caused by the deaths of councillors. Helensburgh Central ward has a seat vacant after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Al Reay and Oban South and The Isles ward has a seat vacant after the death of Scottish National Party councillor Donald McIntosh. As it is less than six months until the full council elections, no byelections 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 disqualification 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.
  • 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.