Labour gains where the Braintree grows

Posted by David Boothroyd
View David's blog
12 years ago / March 16, 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.
  • Braintree district council: Two of the three byelections on 15 March saw Labour candidates win seats previously held by Conservatives. Eric Lynch, a former councillor, was elected in Braintree East ward, and Martin Green was elected in Braintree South ward. In the third seat with a byelection, Frankie Ricci was elected councillor for Great Notley and Braintree West, and held the seat for the Conservatives.
  • 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: Byelection on 22 March in Waltham Cross division after the death of Conservative councillor Terry Price. 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: 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.
  • 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: Byelection on 22 March 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

  • 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.

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.
  • 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.
  • 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..
  • South Lakeland district council: Vacancy in Ulverston North ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former council leader Colin Hodgson. Term ends in 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.
  • Chichester district council: Byelection in Plaistow ward on 19 April, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Linda Westmore. Term ends 2015.
  • Fareham borough council: Geoff Fazackarley was elected councillor for Portchester East ward on 15 March; he holds the seat for the Liberal Democrats.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Tunbridge Wells borough council: There are two vacancies. Broadwater ward has a seat vacant after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Peter Crawford. Pembury ward has a seat vacant after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Claire Brown, who had gained the seat from the Conservatives in a byelection in 2011. Both terms end 2014.
  • Worthing borough council: Vacancy in Offington ward after the death of Conservative councillor Reg Green. Term ends 2014. The byelection is expected to be filled in a double vacancy election in May.

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.
  • 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: Byelection on 22 March in Tavistock North ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Darren Lake. Term ends 2015.

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: Adrian Naylor, who was elected for the Conservatives in Craven ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent following his deselection for the council election. He intends to stand for re-election. 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.
  • 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: Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff was elected councillor for Hertford ward on 15 March. She gains for the Conservatives a seat previously held by the Green Party, who did not defend it in the byelection. Although this win gives the Conservatives an overall majority on the council, they are running a coalition administration.
  • 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

  • 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.
  • Glasgow city council: Shaukat Butt, who was elected for Labour in Govan ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor. He was suspended from the group when charged with assaulting his wife, but has not yet been brought to trial and wishes to defend his seat in May. Under Labour Party rules he may not stand for the party while suspended. His decision to leave the Labour group entirely has removed the party’s overall majority, but he has declared he still wants to support Labour over the Scottish National Party.
  • 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.

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