Vote, vote, vote for Roger Sterry

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

East Midlands

• 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: Byelection on 9 February in Towcester division after to the resignation of Conservative councillor Rosemary Bromwich, who has moved to Cornwall. Term ends 2013.
• Nottinghamshire county council: Vacancy in Chilwall 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.
• Rutland county council: Byelection on 26 January in Uppingham ward after the death of Independent councillor Colin Forsyth. Term ends 2015.
• South Northamptonshire district council: Byelection on 9 February in Towcester Brook ward after the death of Conservative councillor Diana Dallyn. Term ends 2015.

East of England

• 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.
• St Albans city and district council: Byelection on 19 January in Batchwood ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Amanda Archer who has taken a politically restricted post. Term ends 2014. Her resignation gives the Conservatives an overall majority of the council. The date of this byelection was erroneously reported last week as 12 January.
• Suffolk county council: Byelection on 9 February in Kesgrave and Rushmere St Andrew division after the death of Conservative councillor John Klaschka. Term ends 2013.
• Suffolk Coastal district council: Byelection on 9 February in Kesgrave East ward after the death of Conservative councillor John Klaschka. 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

• 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.

North East

• Redcar and Cleveland council: Byelection on 19 January in Newcomen ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Glynis Abbott. Term ends 2015.
• 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: 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 Castle division after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Jim Tootle. Term ends 2013.
• Rochdale borough council: Farooq Ahmed, who was elected for the Labour Party in Central Rochdale ward, has been suspended from the Labour Party. He initially announced his impending resignation but has decided to stay on to clear his name.
• Salford city council: Following a valid petition, the council will hold a referendum on 26 January on whether to introduce a directly-elected Mayor.
• 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.

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.
• Thanet district council: Ian Driver, who was elected for the Labour Party in Northwood ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor because of his disagreement with the proposed council budget. This move may lead to further turmoil in the council leadership, which changed hands from the Conservatives to Labour in December.
• Worthing borough council: Graham Fabes (Offington ward) and Jacqui Marsh (Salvington ward), who are father and daughter, have both left the Conservative group to sit as Independent councillors. They are said to have a dispute over the ‘councillors contract’ which the party wished them to sign.

South West

• Forest of Dean district council: Roger Sterry was elected councillor for Cinderford West ward on 12 January, holding the seat for the Labour Party.
• Plymouth city council: Peter Berrow, who was elected as a Conservative in Southway ward, has joined the UK Independence Party.
• 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. The Conservative administration is now in a minority as Ray Apperley (The Stanleys ward) has left the Conservative group following his arrest.

West Midlands

• Newcastle under Lyme borough council: Byelection on 2 February in Madeley ward after the death of Labour councillor and former Mayor Bill Sinnott. Term ends 2015.
• Stafford borough council: Vacancy in Rowley ward after the death of Conservative councillor David Allan. Term ends 2015.
• Staffordshire county council: Byelection on 9 February in Leek South division after the death of UK Independence Party councillor Steve Povey. Term ends 2013.
• Staffordshire Moorlands district council: Byelection on 9 February in Leek North ward after the death of UK Independence Party councillor Steve Povey. 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.
• 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

• 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

• Aberdeen city council: Norman Collie, who was elected as a Labour Party councillor in Tillydrone/Seaton/Old Aberdeen ward, has left the party. He was not reselected for the upcoming elections and has declared that he will defend his seat as an Independent candidate.
• 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: Vacancy in Doon Valley ward after the resignation of Scottish National Party councillor Drew Filson. As the term ends in May there will be no byelection.
• 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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