Local Council By-elections 12th September 2019

[Tony Otim]

RUSHMOOR BC; St Marks (Lib Dem resigned)
Candidates:
HARGREAVES, Leon (Conservative)
HEWITT, Carl Robert (Labour)
MITCHELL, Thomas William (Liberal Democrat)

2019: LD 556; Con 491; Lab 226; BUSP 184 (BUSP=British Union & Sovereignty Party)
2018: LD 577; Con 544; Lab 301; BUSP 57
2016: Con 611; LD 439; Lab 219; UKIP 178; Grn 70; Ind 43
2015: Con 1619; LD 663; Lab 536; Grn 404
2014: Con 649; LD 426; Grn 292; Lab 242; Christian Party 58
2012: Con 720, 597, 562; LD 483, 472, 371; Lab 249, 220, 214; Christian 93

Carl Hewitt was the Labour candidate in the last two elections, The Indy in 2016 and the Green candidate in 2015 and 2014.

Current Council: Con 26; Lab 11; LD 1; 1 vacancy



RUTLAND UA; Ryhall & Casterton (Ind failed to sign Declaration of Office)
Candidates:
COLEMAN, Richard Stephen (Conservative)
FAY, Steve (Green)
WRIGLEY-PHEASANT, Beverley Jane Helen (Liberal Democrat)

2019: 1 X Ind; 1 x Con unopp; .

The previous 2 member Ryhall and Casterton ward had generally split 1 Con and 1 Ind in the absence of candidates from other parties, apart from 2011 when it elected 2 Conservatives.

Current Council: Con 15; Ind Group 7 (6 Ind, 1 Grn); LD 3; Ind 1; 1 vacancy



SHROPSHIRE UA; Bishop’s Castle (Lib Dem resigned)
Candidates:
HOUGHTON, Ruth (Liberal Democrat)
STELMAN, Andy (Labour)
THOMPSON, Edward George (Conservative)

2017: LD 960; Con 273; Grn 71
Sept 16by: LD 862; Con 420; Lab 95; Grn 37
2013: LD 907; Con 449; Grn 107
Sept 11 by: LD 801; Con 544; Lab 80; Grn 74
2009: LD 754; Con 641; Grn 186

Current Council: Con 47; LD 11; Lab 7; Ind 4; Non-affiliated Ind 2; Grn 1; Brexit 1; 1 vacancy



SOUTH NORTHAMPTONSHIRE DC; Middleton Cheney (Con resigned)
Candidates:
ALLEN, Mark James (Liberal Democrat)
EASTWOOD, Alison Frazer Mitchell (Conservative)
GREAVES, Arthur (Labour)
SEAR, Adam John (Green)

Apr 18by: Con 391; LD 316; Lab 183; Grn 38
2015: Con 1527, 1151; Ind 868
2011: 2x Con Unopp.
2007: 1 x Con, 1 x Ind unopp.

The Indy in 2015 was the Conservative elected unopposed in 2007 and 2011. The Lib Dem and the Green candidates both stood in last year’s by-election.

Current Council: Con 33; LD 5; Ind 3; 1 vacancy



WELLINGBOROUGH BC; Finedon (Con resigned)
Candidates:
HARPER, Laurence John (No Description)
NELSON, Chris (Liberal Democrat)
STEVENSON, Isobel Victoria (Labour)
TURNER-HAWES, Marion Eileen (Green)
WEATHERILL, Andrew James (Conservative)

Sept 16by: Con 758; Lab 235; UKIP 137; LD 86
2015: Con 1250, 944; Lab 720; UKIP 698

Current Council: Con 26; Lab 9; 1 vacancy

[Tony Otim]

Aug 26, 2019 16:25:53 GMT Defenestrated Fipplebox said:

This looks like a fun week to predict. 😲

2 tight LD-con contests, 2 safe-ish defences and one anybody's guess...

[iainbhx]

Aug 26, 2019 17:22:41 GMT Tony Otim said:

Aug 26, 2019 16:25:53 GMT Defenestrated Fipplebox said:

This looks like a fun week to predict. 😲

2 tight LD-con contests, 2 safe-ish defences and one anybody's guess...

I think I might get the dice out for Rutland.

[finsobruce]

Aug 26, 2019 19:23:58 GMT iainbhx said:

Aug 26, 2019 17:22:41 GMT Tony Otim said:

2 tight LD-con contests, 2 safe-ish defences and one anybody's guess...

I think I might get the dice out for Rutland.

Ah, more Dashiel Hammett.

[Tony Otim]

Aug 26, 2019 19:23:58 GMT iainbhx said:

Aug 26, 2019 17:22:41 GMT Tony Otim said:

2 tight LD-con contests, 2 safe-ish defences and one anybody's guess...

I think I might get the dice out for Rutland.

I'm tempted to back the Lib Dems just because Cllr Wrigley-Pheasant sounds so wonderful. And given the outgoing councillor was Titterton-fox maybe there's a trend...

EDITED because I was being a numpty and reading the wrong ward...

[finsobruce]

Aug 26, 2019 19:36:33 GMT Tony Otim said:

Aug 26, 2019 19:23:58 GMT iainbhx said:

I think I might get the dice out for Rutland.

I'm tempted to back the Lib Dems just because Cllr Wrigley-Pheasant sounds so wonderful. And given the outgoing councillor was Titterton-fox maybe there's a trend...

Usually the fox follows the pheasant rather than the other way round. But there's a first time for everything. 

[Tony Otim]

Aug 26, 2019 19:38:52 GMT finsobruce said:

Aug 26, 2019 19:36:33 GMT Tony Otim said:

I'm tempted to back the Lib Dems just because Cllr Wrigley-Pheasant sounds so wonderful. And given the outgoing councillor was Titterton-fox maybe there's a trend...

Usually the fox follows the pheasant rather than the other way round. But there's a first time for everything. 

Yes - but we live in unusual times 😉

[Pete Whitehead]

Might Rutland have a Lib Dem MP by the time of this election..

[gwynthegriff]

Aug 26, 2019 20:24:40 GMT Pete Whitehead said:

Might Rutland have a Lib Dem MP by the time of this election..

Rutland was, of course, home to a famous Liberal MP - now in the Lords.

[Pete Whitehead]

Aug 26, 2019 20:29:16 GMT gwynthegriff said:

Aug 26, 2019 20:24:40 GMT Pete Whitehead said:

Might Rutland have a Lib Dem MP by the time of this election..

Rutland was, of course, home to a famous Liberal MP - now in the Lords.

Rutland has not had a Liberal MP since 1867

[timrollpickering]

Aug 26, 2019 10:07:40 GMT Tony Otim said:

WELLINGBOROUGH BC; Finedon (Con resigned)
Candidates:
HARPER, Laurence John (No Description)
NELSON, Chris (Liberal Democrat)
STEVENSON, Isobel Victoria (Labour)
TURNER-HAWES, Marion Eileen (Green)
WEATHERILL, Andrew James (Conservative)

Laurence Harper is the chair of Finedon Town Council (which has identical boundaries to the ward), Andrew Weatherill also sits on it. I can't find the most recent SOPN to see what label they used but in 2015 the only candidate with a description on the SOPN had "Retired".

When did we last have a "No Description" candidate in a by-election?

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Aug 26, 2019 20:31:08 GMT Pete Whitehead said:

Aug 26, 2019 20:29:16 GMT gwynthegriff said:

Rutland was, of course, home to a famous Liberal MP - now in the Lords.

Rutland has not had a Liberal MP since 1867

Yeah, it's all utterly bonkers.

[Merseymike]

I'm pretty sure I know the Labour candidate in Bishops Castle, who used to live here!

[gwynthegriff]

Aug 26, 2019 20:31:08 GMT Pete Whitehead said:

Aug 26, 2019 20:29:16 GMT gwynthegriff said:

Rutland was, of course, home to a famous Liberal MP - now in the Lords.

Rutland has not had a Liberal MP since 1867

Rutland South West 1906-1910.



(Try googling Lord Bonkers. Incidentally, I hadn't realised until this week that the title comes from a de Bon Coeur.)

[Chris from Brum]

Aug 26, 2019 10:07:40 GMT Tony Otim said:

RUTLAND UA; Ryhall & Casterton (Ind failed to sign Declaration of Office)
Candidates:
COLEMAN, Richard Stephen (Conservative)
FAY, Steve (Green)
WRIGLEY-PHEASANT, Beverley Jane Helen (Liberal Democrat)

2019: Ind unopp.

The previous 2 member Ryhall and Casterton ward had generally split 1 Con and 1 Ind in the absence of candidates from other parties, apart from 2011 when it elected 2 Conservatives.

Current Council: Con 15; Ind Group 7 (6 Ind, 1 Grn); LD 3; Ind 1; 1 vacancy

Are you sure about this?  Rutland council's results page is convinced that it still elects two councillors - this year it was:

Ryhall & Casterton
Chris Parsons Independent
David Wilby Conservative
Uncontested Election

SO whatever happens here there will be two party-nominated councillors.

[Tony Otim]

Aug 27, 2019 15:14:18 GMT Chris from Brum said:

Aug 26, 2019 10:07:40 GMT Tony Otim said:

RUTLAND UA; Ryhall & Casterton (Ind failed to sign Declaration of Office)
Candidates:
COLEMAN, Richard Stephen (Conservative)
FAY, Steve (Green)
WRIGLEY-PHEASANT, Beverley Jane Helen (Liberal Democrat)

2019: Ind unopp.

The previous 2 member Ryhall and Casterton ward had generally split 1 Con and 1 Ind in the absence of candidates from other parties, apart from 2011 when it elected 2 Conservatives.

Current Council: Con 15; Ind Group 7 (6 Ind, 1 Grn); LD 3; Ind 1; 1 vacancy

Are you sure about this?  Rutland council's results page is convinced that it still elects two councillors - this year it was:

Ryhall & Casterton
Chris Parsons Independent
David Wilby Conservative
Uncontested Election

SO whatever happens here there will be two party-nominated councillors.

You're right - I somehow read the page for the wrong ward. Now corrected - thanks.

[Chris from Brum]

Aug 27, 2019 15:20:20 GMT Tony Otim said:

Aug 27, 2019 15:14:18 GMT Chris from Brum said:

Are you sure about this?  Rutland council's results page is convinced that it still elects two councillors - this year it was:

Ryhall & Casterton
Chris Parsons Independent
David Wilby Conservative
Uncontested Election

SO whatever happens here there will be two party-nominated councillors.

You're right - I somehow read the page for the wrong ward. Now corrected - thanks.

No problem - I just noticed the discrepancy when comparing your preview with the one I do for the Lib Dem Voice forum.  But you spotted the by-election in Middleton Cheney that I missed because andrewteale hasn't got it on LEAP yet.

[tonygreaves]

Lord Bonkers is one of the longest consistently good (and sometimes brilliant) political satire columns around (though you may need to be in on the Liberal Democrats and related matters to get it all!)

[evergreenadam]

The rise in turnout in Rushmoor at the general election in 2015 seems to have massively benefited the Tories, is that the result of the service personnel vote?

[andrewteale]

I'm looking at this and thinking "lots of repeats".