Liberal Democrat turmoil in Taunton Deane

Posted by David Boothroyd
View David's blog
14 years ago / December 22, 2009

An unplanned midweek update follows. There are no byelections until 2010 but four new vacancies are worth adding to the list.

East Midlands

  • Ashfield district council: Vacancy in Hucknall Central ward after the death of Conservative councillor Gordon Riley. Term ends 2011.
  • Broxtowe borough council: Vacancy in Eastwood South ward after the death of Labour councillor Jim Kenny. Term ends 2011.
  • Charnwood borough council: Vacancy in Birstall Watermead ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Rick Astill. Term ends 2011.
  • Derby city council: Vacancy in Abbey ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Deirdre Mitchell due to ill health. As her term was due to end in May 2010 and she has resigned with less than six months left, there can be no byelection to replace her.
  • Erewash borough council: Byelection on 21 January 2010 in West Hallam and Dale Abbey ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor John Fildes due to ill health. Term ends 2011.
  • Harborough district council: Byelection on 28 January 2010 in Great Bowden and Arden ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor and (until his resignation) Council Leader Alistair Swatridge, due to ill health. Term ends 2011.
  • Mansfield district council: There are two vacancies: in Portland ward, after the death of Tom Appleby, and in Sherwood ward, after the death of Norman Cook. Both councillors were members of Mansfield Independent Forum and both seats have terms ending in 2011.
  • Nottinghamshire county council: Vacancy in Mansfield South division, after the death of Tom Appleby who represented Mansfield Independent Forum. Term ends 2013.

East of England

  • Dacorum borough council: Vacancy in Adeyfield West ward after the sad death of Conservative councillor Keith Reid, who had been involved in local politics for many years and was a former work colleague of the author of this blog. Term ends 2011.
  • Fenland district council: Vacancy in The Mills ward after the death of veteran Conservative councillor Ray German. Term ends 2011.
  • Huntingdonshire district council: Vacancy in Fenstanton ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Paul Dakers whose resignation letter indicates frustration with the local democratic process. Term ends 2011.

London

  • Southwark borough council: Vacancy in The Lane ward, after the resignation of Labour councillor Susan Elan Jones who has been selected as Parliamentary candidate for Clwyd South. No byelection can be held as her term was due to expire in May 2010.

North East

North West

South East

South West

  • Gloucester city council: Vacancy in Barton and Tredworth ward, after the death of Conservative councillor Yakub Pandor who gained the second seat in the ward in a double vacancy election at the 2008 local elections. As his term was due to end next May, there can be no byelection to fill the vacancy.
  • Taunton Deane borough council: Vacancy in Lyngford ward after Liberal Democrat councillor Julie Wood was disqualified for failing to attend any meetings of the council in six months. Term ends 2011. Also Vivienne Stock-Williams, elected for the Liberal Democrats in Wellington West and Rockwell Green ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor. Both moves may endanger the minority Liberal Democrat administration.

West Midlands

Yorkshire and the Humber

Wales

  • No updates this week.

Scotland

  • No updates this week.