Home Page

Latest information about local council electoral matters is as follows:

East Midlands

• Ashfield district council: Byelection on 11 February in Hucknall Central ward after the death of Conservative councillor Gordon Riley. Term ends 2011.
• Bassetlaw district council: Vacancy in Worksop North ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Steven Burton. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection for his replacement.
• Broxtowe borough council: Byelection on 25 February in Eastwood South ward after the death of Labour councillor Jim Kenny. Term ends 2011.
• Charnwood borough council: Byelection on 18 February in Birstall Watermead ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Rick Astill. Term ends 2011.
• Chesterfield borough council: Vacancy in Brimington South ward, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Helen Walsh who is moving to London and fighting a seat on Islington borough council. 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 and she has resigned with less than six months left, there can be no byelection to replace her.
• Mansfield district council: There are two byelections on 25 February: 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.
• North East Derbyshire district council: The Labour candidate Lee Stone won the byelection in Holmewood and Heath ward on 4 February, gaining the seat from the Liberal Democrats who failed to field a candidate.
• Nottinghamshire county council: Byelection on 25 February in Mansfield South division, after the death of Tom Appleby who represented Mansfield Independent Forum. Term ends 2013.

East of England

• Cambridgeshire county council: Vacancy in Wisbech North division, after the death of Conservative councillor Les Sims. Term ends 2013.
• Dacorum borough council: Byelection on 11 March 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: Byelection on 4 March in The Mills ward after the death of veteran Conservative councillor Ray German. Term ends 2011. There is also a vacancy in Wisbech Kirkgate ward after the death of veteran Conservative councillor Les Sims. Term ends 2011.
• Huntingdonshire district council: Byelection on 25 February in Fenstanton ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Paul Dakers whose resignation letter indicates frustration with the local democratic process. Term ends 2011.
• Southend borough council: Jason Luty, who was elected as a Consservative in Eastwood Park, has resigned from the party to sit as an Independent. Although his term as a councillor is due to continue until 2011, he intends to stand as an Independent candidate in Westborough ward in May. His party switch means the Conservatives now rely on the Mayor's casting vote for an overall majority on the council. There is also a vacancy in Milton ward after the death of Conservative councillor Ann Robertson. As her term was due to end in May there will be no byelection to replace her.
• Tendring district council: Vacancy in Golf Green ward, after the death of Ray Smith who was a member of local residents' group Tendring First. Term ends 2011.
• Welwyn Hatfield borough council: Vacancy in Northaw and Cuffley ward after the death of Conservative councillor and former deputy leader of the council, John Mansfield. Term ends 2011.

London

• Barnet borough council: Chris Harris, who was elected as a Conservative in Golders Green ward but was expelled from the party last October over persistent non-attendance, has resigned his seat on the eve of his disqualification. As his term would have been up in May, there will be no byelection.
• Bromley borough council: Vacancy in Bromley Town ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Stephen Maly. No byelection can be held as he resigned within six months of full council elections.
• Greenwich borough council: Elizabeth Truss, Conservative councillor for Eltham South ward, has resigned her seat to concentrate on her Parliamentary candidature in South West Norfolk.
• Haringey borough council: Sheik Thompson, who was elected as a Labour councillor in Tottenham Hale ward, has left the party to stand for re-election as an Independent candidate. He had not been reselected to fight the seat for the Labour Party.
• Lewisham borough council: Vacancy in Whitefoot ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Cathy Priddey. No byelection can be held to replace her.
• 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

• Durham council: Byelection on 11 February in Easington ward, after the death of Labour councillor Richard Burnip. Term ends 2013.
• South Tyneside borough council: Byelection on 25 February in Primrose ward after the death of former Mayor and Labour councillor Barrie Scorer. Term ends 2011.

North West

• Blackburn with Darwen council: Mustafa Desai, the Labour Party candidate, won the byelection in Queen's Park ward on 4 February. He gains the seat from an Independent councillor elected as a Liberal Democrat.
• Halton borough council: Vacancy in Mersey ward, after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Sue Blackmore. Term ends 2012.
• Lancaster city council: Vacancy in John o'Gaunt ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Jim Blakely who has moved out of the district. Term ends 2011.
• Liverpool city council: Byelection on 18 February in Fazakerley ward after the death of Labour councillor and former Lord Mayor Jack Spriggs. Term ends 2012.
• Pendle borough council: Vacancy in Brierfield ward after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Naseem Shabnam who had been criticized for poor attendance. As her term was due to expire in May 2010, there can be no byelection.
• Preston city council: Vacancy in Riversway ward after the resignation of Labour councillor Jack Davenport. Term ends 2012.
• Stockport borough council: The Mayor of Stockport, Colin McAlister, who was elected as a Labour councillor in Brinnington and Central ward but had recently been sitting as an Independent councillor, has joined the Liberal Democrats.

South East

• Aylesbury Vale district council: There are two byelections on 11 February. That in Aylesbury Central ward is caused by the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Keith Turner; that in Luffield Abbey is caused by the resignation of Conservative councillor Stefan Balbuza. Both elections are for terms ending in 2011.
• Bracknell Forest council: Byelection on 25 February in Owlsmoor ward after the death of Conservative councillor Ray Simonds. Term ends 2011.
• Chichester district council: Byelection on 11 February in Plaistow ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Brian Hooton. Term ends 2011.
• Gosport borough council: Vacancy in Christchurch ward after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Jackie Carr. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection to replace him. Liberal Democrat group leader Peter Chegwyn has been disqualified for two years by the Adjudication Panel which would create a vacancy in his Leesland ward. He is reinstated for the moment and has won permission to appeal to the High Court against the finding. His term ends May so there is no possibility of a byelection if the disqualification is upheld.
• Gravesham borough council: Vacancy in Meopham South and Vigo ward, after the death of Conservative councillor Raymonde Collins. Term ends 2011.
• Hampshire county council: Peter Chegwyn has been disqualified for two years by the Adjudication Panel which would create a vacancy in his Hardway division. He is reinstated for the moment and has won permission to appeal to the High Court against the finding. Term ends 2013.
• Reigate and Banstead district council: Vacancy in Redhill East ward due to the death of Conservative councillor Frank Moore. Term ends 2012.
• South Oxfordshire district council: Byelection on 11 February in Henley South ward, after the death of Henley Residents Group councillor Terry Buckett. Term ends 2011.
• Tandridge district council: Liberal Democrat candidate David Lee was elected in Whyteleafe ward in the byelection on 2 February, holding the seat for his party.
• Test Valley borough council: Vacancy in Anna ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor Arthur Peters. Term ends 2011.
• West Oxfordshire district council: Vacancy in Carterton North West ward after the death of Conservative councillor Dave King. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection to fill the vacancy.
• Wokingham council: There are two Vacancies, both caused by the deaths of Conservative councillors. Chris Edmunds in Maiden Erlegh ward was a former deputy leader of the council; Malcolm Bryant in Shinfield South ward had been chairman of the council and Conservative group whip. Both terms end in 2012.
• Worthing borough council: There is a vacancy in Salvington ward and an impending vacancy in Marine ward, due to the resignations (respectively) of Dr Heather Mercer and her husband, former council leader Keith Mercer, who are both Conservatives and are emigrating to Cyprus where Heather Mercer is to take up a university post. As the term in Salvington ward ends in May, no byelection can be held. The term in Marine ward ends in 2011 and it is the intention to hold the byelection on 6 May as a double vacancy.

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.
• Mid Devon district council: Byelection on 25 February in Yeo ward, after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor David Pullen. Term ends 2011.
• South Hams district council: Byelection on 18 February in Ivybridge Filham ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Terry Hewitt. Term ends 2011.

West Midlands

• Dudley borough council: Vacancy in Sedgley ward after the resignation of Conservative councillor John Perry. Term ends 2012. The intention is to hold the byelection on 6 May as a double vacancy in the ward.
• Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council: Conservative candidate Susan Short was elected in Newchapel ward on 4 February, holding the seat for her party.
• Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council: Vacancy in St Nicholas division after the death of Conservative councillor David Bryden. As his term was due to end in May there will be no byelection.
• Rugby borough council: Vacancy in Dunchurch and Knightlow ward after the death of veteran Liberal Democrat councillor Ron Ravenhall. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Sandwell borough council: Vacancy in Rowley ward after the resignation of former council leader Bill Thomas (Labour), who has been convicted of theft. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Stoke-on-Trent city council: Vacancy in Blurton ward after the death of Derek Hall, who represented the City Independent Group. As his term was due to expire in May, there will be no byelection to replace him.
• Telford and Wrekin council: There are two byelections on 11 February. That in College ward follows the resignation of Gary Davies (an Independent) who has retiring and moved to Surrey. That in The Nedge ward follows the death of veteran Labour councillor Ute Sambrook from cancer. In both cases the terms ends 2011.
• Warwickshire county council: Vacancy in Nuneaton St Nicholas division after the death of Conservative councillor David Bryden. Term ends 2013.
• Worcester city council: Vacancy in Bedwardine ward after the death of Conservative councillor Barry Mackenzie-Williams. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.
• Wychavon district council: Byelection on 18 February in Evesham South ward, after the death of Conservative councillor Ron Cartwright. Term ends 2011.

Yorkshire and the Humber

• Bradford city council: Arshad Hussain, who had been elected as a Conservative in Toller ward but left the party just over a week ago in a protest over the selection of the next Lord Mayor, has now joined the Labour Party.
• Leeds city council: Byelection on 18 February in Hyde Park and Woodhouse ward, after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Kabeer Hussain. Term ends 2011.
• Scarborough borough council: Byelection on 11 February in Mayfield ward, after the death of Conservative councillor and former deputy Mayor Peter Booth. Term ends 2011.

Wales

• Bridgend county borough council: Byelection on 18 February in Pendre ward, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Mike Simmonds. Term ends 2012.
• Conwy county borough council: Dennis Tew, who was elected in Deganwy ward for the Conservatives, has joined Plaid Cymru due to his personal support for the Blaid's Parliamentary candidate.

Scotland

• South Lanarkshire council: John McNamee, who was elected for the Scottish National Party in Blantyre ward, has joined the Labour Party.