A Coyne for the Wee County

The latest updates on local electoral information are as follows.

Result

• Clackmannanshire: The byelection in Clackmannanshire East ward held on 19 November was won by Denis Coyne. Conservative hold.

Changes of allegiance

• Arun: A new ‘Arun Independent Group’ has been formed by Sandra Daniells (Pevensey ward) and Emily Seex (River ward), who previously sat as ‘Independent Independents’.
• Boston: The groups of Independent councillors have reorganised. A new ‘Independent 20/20’ group has been formed by Peter Bedford (Coastal ward) and Stephen Woodliffe (West ward), both of whom were previously in the Independent group; meanwhile the Bostonian Independent group has renamed itself the ‘Independent 2’ group.
• Bridgend: It is noted that Roz Stirman (Llangeinor division) and Tim Thomas (Ynysawdre division) have left Plaid Cymru and joined the Independent group. Sean Aspey (Porthcawl West Central division) has left the Independent Alliance group to join the Independent group.
• Durham: Geraldine Bleasdale, who was elected for the Labour Party in Seaham division, has left the party and is sitting as an Independent councillor.
• Elmbridge: Andrew Kelly, who was elected for the Conservative Party in Walton North ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• Gloucester: Lauren Derbyshire, who was elected for Labour in Coney Hill ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• Herefordshire: Jim Kenyon has left the Herefordshire Independents group to sit as an ungrouped councillor.
• Kirklees: Three councillors have left the Labour group to form the Independents group. They are Rob Walker and Lesley Warner (both Colne Valley ward) and Richard Murgatroyd (Golcar ward). As a result the Labour Party no longer has an overall majority on the council.
• Lancaster: A group of five councillors has left the Labour group to form the Eco-Socialist Independents group. They are Kevin Frea (Halton-with-Aughton ward), who was the deputy leader of the council; Faye Penny and Alistair Sinclair (John O’Gaunt ward); and Jack O’Dwyer-Henry and Kate Whearty (University and Scotforth Rural ward). Their move means the Labour/Green coalition no longer has a majority.
• Norfolk: John Timewell, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in North Walsham West and Erpingham division but left the party recently, has now joined the Conservative Party.
• Spelthorne: Nick Gething, who was elected for the Conservatives in Ashford Town ward, has left the group to sit as an unaffiliated councillor.
• Winchester: Lisa Griffiths, who was elected for the Conservatives in Alresford and Itchen Valley ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• Wirral: Tony Cox, who was elected for the Conservative Party in Hoylake and Meols ward, has been suspended from the party group over use of his Twitter account.
• Wychavon: Mark Goodge, who was elected for the Conservatives in Badsey ward, has withdrawn from the group over a post on Facebook.

New vacancies

• Bristol: Central ward, after the resignation of Labour councillor Paul Smith. No byelection will be held as his term was extended until May next year.
• Cumbria: Ulverston West division, after the resignation of Conservative county councillor James Airey who has been appointed County Adviser for the NFU. No byelection will be held as his term was due to end next May.
• Halton: Broadheath ward, after the death of Labour councillor Keith Morley. Term ends 2022.
• Hillingdon: Charville ward, after the death of Conservative councillor Neil Fyfe. Term ends 2022.
• Maldon: Tollesbury ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Elaine Bamford, who has also left the party. Term ends 2023.
• South Lakeland: Furness Peninsula ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor James Airey who has been appointed County Adviser for the NFU. Term ends 2022.
• South Tyneside: Hprsley Hill ward, after the resignation of the council leader, Iain Malcolm, who has also left the Labour Party. Term ends 2023.
• Tandridge: Queens Park ward, after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor John Orrick. Term ends 2023.
• Tandridge: Valley ward, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Dorinda Cooper. Term ends 2023.

Dates for byelections

• In England, all current vacancies which do not fill a term ending in 2021 will be held on 6 May 2021, the ordinary day for local elections. The Cabinet Office has confirmed that local elections teams should not plan on this date being brought forward. In Wales, all byelections will be held in a period between 1 February and 16 April 2021.
• North Lanarkshire: The byelections in Fortissat and Thorniewood wards, which had been due to poll on Thursday, were cancelled on Tuesday when the Scottish Government announced that North Lanarkshire would move to Tier 4 of Coronavirus restrictions. They will be rescheduled, probably for 4 March.

Other updates

• Arun: The council’s Liberal Democrat minority administration survived a motion of no confidence on Wednesday night, but only with the use of the Chairman’s casting vote.

---

---