Local Council By-elections 10th/12th March 2020

[Tony Otim]

This week's by-elections come spread over two days, with another Wiltshire by-election on Tuesday this week.

Tuesday 10th March:

WILTSHIRE UA; Till and Wylye Valley (Con resigned)
Candidates:
ASHCROFT, Harry (Liberal Democrat)
DALEY, Kevin Stuart (Conservative)
TRESLOVE, Timothy John (Labour)

2017: Con 1134; LD 923; Lab 34
2013: LD 895; Con 645; Lab 84
2009: LD 1064; Con 693; BNP 141

This is the 6th by-election since the start of last July for Wiltshire UA, with a 7th to be scheduled soon. That will equal the total number of previous by-elections prior to last July since the creation of the Unitary.

Current Council: Con 62; LD 21; Ind 10; Lab 3; 2 vacancies



Thursday 12th March:

ASHFORD DC; Park Farm North (Con resigned)
Candidates:
CORNISH, Trish (Ashford Independent)
HARRISON, Garry (Labour)
HICKS, Aline (Conservative)
PIZZEY, Thom (Green)
STROLZ, Samuel John (Liberal Democrat)

2019: Con 300; Lab 97; LD 91

This vacancy was caused by the resignation of Jo Gideon, who is now MP for Stoke on Trent Central.

Current Council: Con 25; Ashford Ind 11; Lab 7; Grn 2; Ind 1; 1 vacancy



HIGHLAND UA; Eliean a Cheo (Ind resigned)
Candidates:
KISS, Andrew Jonathan (SNP)
KROONSTUIVER CAMPBELL, Dawn (Green)
MISNEACHD, Martainn (No Description)
MUNRO, Calum (Indepdendent)
STEWART, Ruraidh Cameron (Conservative)
THOMSON, Fay (Liberal Democrat)

2017: Ind 1449, 717, 453, 339, 216, 213, 164; SNP 626, 310; Con 319; Lab 98; LD 97
The ward boundaries, consisting of the Isle of Skye and surrounding islands, were left unchanged by the boundary review prior to 2017
2012: Ind 949, 647, 254; SNP 830; LD 641; Lab 157; Con 91
2007: LD 960; Ind 795, 734, 498, 338; SNP 669; Lab 351; Con 178

None of the by-election candidates have stood here before. 4 of the candidates give an address on Skye, the Conservative in Kyle just across on the mainland and the No Description candidate in Glasgow.

Ian Renwick had been SNP councillor for the ward in 2007 and 2012, but lost out to his party colleague (perhaps on alphabetical order). Drew Millar was the Lib Dem who topped the poll in 2007 and hung on in 2012. He got just 213 votes as an indy in 2017. The two incumbent indies from 2012 were John Gordon and Hamish Fraser (who had also been elected in 2007) and they ended up competing for the final seat in 2017, with Gordon successful. The two top indies last time were new candidates and it is the second of these who has now resigned.

Current Council: Ind 26; SNP 21; Con 11; LD 9; Lab 3; Grn 1; Sutherland Ind Group 1; Non-aligned 1; 1 vacancy



SOUTH SOMERSET DC; Parrett (Lib Dem resigned)
Candidates:
ASHTON, Steve (Independent)
KEATING, Mark Alexander (Conservative)
PATRICK, Ollie (Liberal Democrat)
WOOD, Robert Charles (Green)

2019: LD 575; Con 316
2015: LD 785; Con 728
2011: LD 623; Con 535
2007: LD 519; Con 479
2003: LD 633; Con 430

Mark Alexander Keating is County Councillor for Coker division on Somerset CC, which contains this ward.

Current Council: LD 38; Con 15; Ind 6; 1 vacancy



STRATFORD ON AVON DC; Welford on Avon (Ind died)
Candidates:
APPLETON, Neal Michael (Independent)
COX, Richard Nigel (Conservative)
KENT, Anthony (Labour)
PERTEGHELLA, Manuela (Liberal Democrats)
STOTT, John David (Green)

2019: Ind 897; Con 291; Grn 117; Lab 73
2015: Ind 975; Con 964; Lab 116

The deceased Independent councillor had formerly been Lib Dem councillor for the old Welford ward for a number of years.

Current Council: Con 19; LD 11; Ind 4; Grn 1; 1 vacancy

[andrewteale]

Feb 24, 2020 11:33:33 GMT Tony Otim said:

This week's by-elections come spread over two days, with another Wiltshire by-election on Tuesday this week.

Tuesday 10th March:

WILTSHIRE UA; Till and Wylye Valley (Con resigned)
Candidates:
ASHCROFT, Harry (Liberal Democrat)
DALEY, Kevin Stuart (Conservative)
TRESLOVE, Timothy John (Labour)

2017: Con 1134; LD 923; Lab 34
2013: LD 895; Con 645; Lab 84
2009: LD 1064; Con 693; BNP 141

This is the 6th by-election since the start of last July for Wiltshire UA, with a 7th to be scheduled soon. That will equal the total number of previous by-elections prior to last July since the creation of the Unitary.

Current Council: Con 62; LD 21; Ind 10; Lab 3; 2 vacancies

Not quite: Keith Edkins' website appears to be missing a by-election to Bromham, Rowde and Potterne ward in December 2010. Wiltshire is next on my list, so that result will go up on LEAP shortly (hopefully this week).

[tonygreaves]

The spelling of the Highland seat is Eilean a'Cheò which I think means Isle of Mist or Mists. It is indeed Skye and offshire islands.

Some interesting tests for the LDs this week.

Some super candidate names in this contest!



Tony

[phil156]

I wonder if Andrew teale has forgotten about tonight Wiltshire by-election as he has put his preview up yet, always enjoy reading them.

[andrewteale]

Mar 10, 2020 18:53:57 GMT phil156 said:

I wonder if Andrew teale has forgotten about tonight Wiltshire by-election as he has put his preview up yet, always enjoy reading them.

Ask and ye shall receive:
www.britainelects.com/2020/03/10/preview-10-mar-2020/

[owainsutton]

Feb 24, 2020 11:33:33 GMT Tony Otim said:

This is the 6th by-election since the start of last July for Wiltshire UA, with a 7th to be scheduled soon. That will equal the total number of previous by-elections prior to last July since the creation of the Unitary.

Unitaries with close to 100 councillors, with the average age of councillors being 65? 

[andrewp]

Mar 10, 2020 21:20:45 GMT owainsutton said:

Feb 24, 2020 11:33:33 GMT Tony Otim said:

This is the 6th by-election since the start of last July for Wiltshire UA, with a 7th to be scheduled soon. That will equal the total number of previous by-elections prior to last July since the creation of the Unitary.

Unitaries with close to 100 councillors, with the average age of councillors being 65? 

Although from memory, most of those Wiltshire by elections have been caused by resignation rather than death.

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Till and Wylye Valley: 1,286 ballots verified; turnout 35.6%.

[middleenglander]

Wiltshire, Till & Wylye Valley - Conservative hold (after recount)

Party	2020 votes	2020 share	since 2017	since 2013	since 2009
Conservative	637	49.6%	-4.6%	+9.9%	+13.1%
Liberal Democrat	623	48.5%	+4.4%	-6.6%	-7.5%
Labour	24	1.9%	+0.2%	-3.3%	from nowhere
BNP					-7.4%
Total votes	1,284		61%	79%	68%

Swing Conservative to Liberal Democrat 4½% since 2017 but Liberal Democrat to Conservative 8¼% since 2013 and 10¼% since 2009

Council now 63 Conservative, 21 Liberal Democrat, 10 Independent, 3 Labour, 1 Vacant

[Davıd Boothroyd]

WILTSHIRE Till and Wylye Valley

Kevin Stuart Daley (CON) 637
Harry Ashcroft (LD) 623
Timothy John Treslove (LAB) 24

[bjornhattan]

[cogload]

Mar 10, 2020 23:45:27 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

WILTSHIRE Till and Wylye Valley

Kevin Stuart Daley (CON) 637
Harry Ashcroft (LD) 623
Timothy John Treslove (LAB) 24

I think we will be disappointed in this. Lovely part of the world and my old stamping ground. Large country estates and the squirearchy hiding some pretty dreadful rural poverty.

[andrewp]

Mar 11, 2020 0:55:15 GMT cogload said:

Mar 10, 2020 23:45:27 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

WILTSHIRE Till and Wylye Valley

Kevin Stuart Daley (CON) 637
Harry Ashcroft (LD) 623
Timothy John Treslove (LAB) 24

I think we will be disappointed in this. Lovely part of the world and my old stamping ground. Large country estates and the squirearchy hiding some pretty dreadful rural poverty.

I think you might be a bit disappointed given the history of the division. Presumably you might have won if Labour hadn’t stood? Would have probably been  even closer, at least.

[Arthur Figgis]

Mar 10, 2020 19:30:54 GMT andrewteale said:

Mar 10, 2020 18:53:57 GMT phil156 said:

I wonder if Andrew teale has forgotten about tonight Wiltshire by-election as he has put his preview up yet, always enjoy reading them.

Ask and ye shall receive:
www.britainelects.com/2020/03/10/preview-10-mar-2020/

The polling station is in a pub called The Bell? There’s also another pub called The Bell in the division- in Wylye itself. I’ve stopped off there for refreshments a few times while on the way down the A303.

[northbriton]

Profile of candidates for the Skye by-election here:

www.whfp.com/2020/03/10/22581/

[yellowperil]

Feb 26, 2020 19:01:45 GMT tonygreaves said:

The spelling of the Highland seat is Eilean a'Cheò which I think means Isle of Mist or Mists. It is indeed Skye and offshire islands.

Some interesting tests for the LDs this week.

Some super candidate names in this contest!



Tony

I like the name of the SNP candidate on Skye this week of all weeks. I wish another party could have come up with a candidate called Tell.

[yellowperil]

Mar 11, 2020 9:52:59 GMT Arthur Figgis said:

Mar 10, 2020 19:30:54 GMT andrewteale said:

Ask and ye shall receive:
www.britainelects.com/2020/03/10/preview-10-mar-2020/

The polling station is in a pub called The Bell? There’s also another pub called The Bell in the division- in Wylye itself. I’ve stopped off there for refreshments a few times while on the way down the A303.

I used to stop off there regularly a good few years back when I did the A303 run quite a lot. Nice half way stop when en route from Kent to Devon. Not often in competition with Arthur on the "pubs I have known" stakes. Then at one stage the Bell closed and our half way house became the Black Dog at Chilmark for few years.
PS come to think of it, we have also stopped at the Bell Inn, Winterbourne Stoke, which is the original pub mentioned by Andrew as being the polling station. All things change, but not as cosy a watering hole as the other two mentioned at the time when I used to make that journey.

[Arthur Figgis]

Mar 11, 2020 14:30:14 GMT yellowperil said:

Mar 11, 2020 9:52:59 GMT Arthur Figgis said:

The polling station is in a pub called The Bell? There’s also another pub called The Bell in the division- in Wylye itself. I’ve stopped off there for refreshments a few times while on the way down the A303.

I used to stop off there regularly a good few years back when I did the A303 run quite a lot. Nice half way stop when en route from Kent to Devon. Not often in competition with Arthur on the "pubs I have known" stakes. Then at one stage the Bell closed and our half way house became the Black Dog at Chilmark for few years.

What year, roughly, did it close? If it was about 7 years ago, I was considering taking on the lease. I was looking at taking on a pub at the time, and it was totally free of tie (which was essential). It had previously been the home of a brewery, but I forget what it was called.

[yellowperil]

Mar 11, 2020 14:34:46 GMT Arthur Figgis said:

Mar 11, 2020 14:30:14 GMT yellowperil said:

I used to stop off there regularly a good few years back when I did the A303 run quite a lot. Nice half way stop when en route from Kent to Devon. Not often in competition with Arthur on the "pubs I have known" stakes. Then at one stage the Bell closed and our half way house became the Black Dog at Chilmark for few years.

What year, roughly, did it close? If it was about 7 years ago, I was considering taking on the lease. I was looking at taking on a pub at the time, and it was totally free of tie (which was essential). It had previously been the home of a brewery, but I forget what it was called.

Can't remember, but I am talking further back than that, probably late in the last century.

[Arthur Figgis]

Mar 11, 2020 14:48:41 GMT yellowperil said:

Mar 11, 2020 14:34:46 GMT Arthur Figgis said:

What year, roughly, did it close? If it was about 7 years ago, I was considering taking on the lease. I was looking at taking on a pub at the time, and it was totally free of tie (which was essential). It had previously been the home of a brewery, but I forget what it was called.

Can't remember, but I am talking further back than that, probably late in the last century.

Ah. Probably at that point it was taken over by the brewery which I cannot remember the name of.