Local Council by-elections 19th August 2021

[Tony Otim]

ABERDEENSHIRE UA; Mid Formartine (SNP resigned)
Candidates:
GOODHALL, Jeff (Liberal Democrat)
KENNEDY, Peter (Green)
NICOL, Jenny (SNP)
POWELL, Sheila (Conservative)

2017: Con 1797; SNP 1038, 302; Ind 1070, 249; LD 491; Lab 245

Jeff Goodhall (LD) was the unsuccessful indy in 2017 and also stood unsuccessfully as an indy in 2012. The ward lost quite a lot of territory, although not very heavily populated, in the boundary changes. In 2007 the ward elected 2 LDs, 1 SNP and 1 Con. In 2012, One of the LDs was re-elected as an Independent and the other lost his seat to a second SNP candidate (who finished bottom of the poll on 1st preferences). In 2017, the Conservative and Independent were re-elected, with the original SNP cllr being replaced by a party colleague and the second one losing his seat back to the Lib Dems.

Current Council: Con 19; SNP 17; LD 13; Aligned Ind 9; Alba 3; Ind 3; Democratic Ind and Green Grp 2 (1 of each); Lab 1; Libertarian 1; Unaligned Ind 1; 1 vacancy



ASHFORD DC; Downs North (Con resigned)
Candidates:
MEADEN, Geoff (Green)
WILCOX, Carol Desne (Liberal Democrat)
WILLIAMS, Sarah Mary (Conservative)

Jul 19 by: Con 229; Grn 190; LD 70; Ashford Ind 67; UKIP 22; Lab 17; Ind 17
2019: Con 375; Grn 186; LD 148; Lab 82

Geoff Meaden was the Green candidate at the last by-election and was also Green candidate for Ashford Rural East, which contains this ward, in May. Sarah Mary Williams was the Independent who got 17 votes on that occasion.

Current Council: Con 25; Ashford Ind 11; Lab 6; Ind 2; Grn 2; 1 vacancy



DOVER DC; Sandwich (Con resigned)
Candidates:
FOX, Anne Elizabeth (Liberal Democrat)
FRIEND, Dan (Conservative)

2019: Con 883, 872; Ind 639; LD 371; Lab 351, 314; Grn 328

Anne Fox was the Lib Dem candidate in 2019. The Indy in 2019 was one of the 3 incumbents for the ward on old boundaries elected as a Conservative in 2015.

Current Council: Con 19; Lab 11; Non-aligned 1; 1 vacancy



EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE UA; East Wolds & Coastal (Ind elected as Con died)
Candidates:
ASTELL, Peter (Liberal Democrat)
DEWHIRST, Charlie (Conservative)
SCULLION, John (Green)
THOMAS, Kim (Yorkshire Party)
VULLIAMY, Daniel Lukas (Labour)

2019: Con 2242, 2072, 1856; Grn 1222, 928, 757; Lab 522, 522
May 16 by: Con 1885, Lab 860, UKIP 835
2015: Con 4185, 3788, 3366; UKIP 2080; Lab 1527, 1334; Grn 1393; LD 1040
2011: Con 2769, 2595, 2511; Grn 949; Lab 883, 778, 609; LD 470, 431, 418
2007: Con 2439, 2347, 2333; Grn 690; Ind 639; LD 568, 533, 438; Lab 477
2003: Con 2146, 2055, 2015; Lab 1046

The Labour and Green candidates were both the bottom placed candidates for their respective parties in 2019.

Current council: Con 47; LD 9; Ind Grp 7; Yorkshire Grp 2; Ind 1; 1 vacancy



RIBBLE VALLEY DC; Littlemoor (LD resigned)
Candidates:
HIBBERT, Gaynor Patricia (Liberal Democrats)
NEWHOUSE, Jimmy (Conservative)
PEPLOW, Anne Elizabeth (Green)
POLLARD, Mandy (Labour)

2019: LD 474, 411; Con 193, 132; Lab 151, 150


RIBBLE VALLEY DC; Primrose (LD resigned)
Candidates:
BLEZARD, Katei (Conservative)
FLETCHER, Kerry Elizabeth (Liberal Democrat)
GRAVESTON, Michael St John (Labour)
PEPLOW, Malcolm Charles (Green)

2019:LD 418, 403; Lab 166, 151; Con 109, 98

Katei Blezard was the top Conservative candidate in Littlemoor (above) in 2019. Malcolm Peplow and Michael Graveston both stood unsuccessfully for Clitheroe division (which contains both Littlemoor and Primrose wards) on Lancashire County Council this May.

Current Council: Con 27; LD 8; Ind 3; 2 vacancies



RUTLAND UA; Oakham South (Con resigned)
Candidates:
BROWNE, Paul Morley (Liberal Democrat)
BURTON, Andy (Conservative)

2019: LD 856; Con 620, 551, 435

Current Council: Con 14; Ind & Grn Grp 6 (5 INd & 1 Grn); Ind non-aligned 3; LD 3; 1 vacancy

[minionofmidas]

Jul 30, 2021 14:01:10 GMT Tony Otim said:

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE UA; East Wolds & Coastal (Ind elected as Con died)
Candidates:
ASTELL, Peter (Liberal Democrat)
DEWHIRST, Charlie (Conservative)
SCULLION, John (Green)
THOMAS, Kim (Yorkshire Party)
VULLIAMY, Daniel Lukas (Labour)

2019: Con 2242, 2072, 1856; Grn 1222, 928, 757; Lab 522, 522
May 16 by: Con 1885, Lab 860, UKIP 835
2015: Con 4185, 3788, 3366; UKIP 2080; Lab 1527, 1334; Grn 1393; LD 1040
2011: Con 2769, 2595, 2511; Grn 949; Lab 883, 778, 609; LD 470, 431, 418
2007: Con 2439, 2347, 2333; Grn 690; Ind 639; LD 568, 533, 438; Lab 477
2003: Con 2146, 2055, 2015; Lab 1046

The Labour and Green candidates were both the bottom placed candidates for their respective parties in 2019.

The bottom placed of two candidates polling the same no of votes?

Love your profiles btw. They're, like, a trailer for Andrew's Previews to me.

[Tony Otim]

Jul 30, 2021 16:08:51 GMT minionofmidas said:

Jul 30, 2021 14:01:10 GMT Tony Otim said:

EAST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE UA; East Wolds & Coastal (Ind elected as Con died)
Candidates:
ASTELL, Peter (Liberal Democrat)
DEWHIRST, Charlie (Conservative)
SCULLION, John (Green)
THOMAS, Kim (Yorkshire Party)
VULLIAMY, Daniel Lukas (Labour)

2019: Con 2242, 2072, 1856; Grn 1222, 928, 757; Lab 522, 522
May 16 by: Con 1885, Lab 860, UKIP 835
2015: Con 4185, 3788, 3366; UKIP 2080; Lab 1527, 1334; Grn 1393; LD 1040
2011: Con 2769, 2595, 2511; Grn 949; Lab 883, 778, 609; LD 470, 431, 418
2007: Con 2439, 2347, 2333; Grn 690; Ind 639; LD 568, 533, 438; Lab 477
2003: Con 2146, 2055, 2015; Lab 1046

The Labour and Green candidates were both the bottom placed candidates for their respective parties in 2019.

The bottom placed of two candidates polling the same no of votes?

Love your profiles btw. They're, like, a trailer for Andrew's Previews to me.

Well-spotted

[Chris from Brum]

The Lib Dems who resigned in Ribble Valley share a surname, what's the story there?

[Tony Otim]

Jul 30, 2021 17:08:58 GMT Chris from Brum said:

The Lib Dems who resigned in Ribble Valley share a surname, what's the story there?

They're moving on to a better place:

www.pendletoday.co.uk/news/politics/end-of-an-era-as-veteran-ribble-valley-councillor-couple-resign-for-pastures-new-3297585?itm_source=parsely-api

[Rutlander]

RUTLAND UA; Oakham South
Some (fake) ballot papers have been found discarded in the town;
Council comment - www.rutland.gov.uk/my-council/council-news/response-to-fake-ballot-papers-discarded-in-oakham/
Local blogger - martinbrookes.blogspot.com/2021/07/since-allen-grey-wrote-in-rutland-times.html

[markgoodair]

Odd that Labour haven't got a candidate for the Dover election .

[minionofmidas]

Jul 30, 2021 17:31:20 GMT markgoodair said:

Odd that Labour haven't got a candidate for the Dover election .

in Sandwich? Why bother?

[Tony Otim]

Jul 30, 2021 17:33:31 GMT minionofmidas said:

Jul 30, 2021 17:31:20 GMT markgoodair said:

Odd that Labour haven't got a candidate for the Dover election .

in Sandwich? Why bother?

You need someone to fill-in the gap between the other two candidates?

[finsobruce]

Jul 30, 2021 18:42:49 GMT Tony Otim said:

Jul 30, 2021 17:33:31 GMT minionofmidas said:

in Sandwich? Why bother?

You need someone to fill-in the gap between the other two candidates?

You shouldn't just roll over.

[peterl]

Jul 30, 2021 18:47:15 GMT finsobruce said:

Jul 30, 2021 18:42:49 GMT Tony Otim said:

You need someone to fill-in the gap between the other two candidates?

You shouldn't just roll over.

Time for a better (meal) deal for Dover! Instead, its a two slice race!

[finsobruce]

Jul 30, 2021 18:53:04 GMT peterl said:

Jul 30, 2021 18:47:15 GMT finsobruce said:

You shouldn't just roll over.

Time for a better (meal) deal for Dover! Instead, its a two slice race!

Will the winner represent everyone or just the Upper Crust?

[hullenedge]

Jul 30, 2021 17:33:31 GMT minionofmidas said:

Jul 30, 2021 17:31:20 GMT markgoodair said:

Odd that Labour haven't got a candidate for the Dover election .

in Sandwich? Why bother?

A former colleague stood twice for Labour in Sandwich. She was upfront about being a paper candidate. Didn't leaflet, canvass or visit the ward. She did attend the count, coming last on both occasions.

[finsobruce]

Jul 30, 2021 20:22:24 GMT hullenedge said:

Jul 30, 2021 17:33:31 GMT minionofmidas said:

in Sandwich? Why bother?

A former colleague stood twice for Labour in Sandwich. She was upfront about being a paper candidate. Didn't leaflet, canvass or visit the ward. She did attend the count, coming last on both occasions.

Well, that's the Deal in Sandwich.

[Chris from Brum]

Ham Sandwich

[andrew111]

Jul 30, 2021 17:27:14 GMT Rutlander said:

RUTLAND UA; Oakham South
Some (fake) ballot papers have been found discarded in the town;
Council comment - www.rutland.gov.uk/my-council/council-news/response-to-fake-ballot-papers-discarded-in-oakham/
Local blogger - martinbrookes.blogspot.com/2021/07/since-allen-grey-wrote-in-rutland-times.html

I think there will need to be a very careful check of postal votes and indeed box tallies at verification..

[andrew111]

Why can you never starve in Dover?

[Tony Otim]

OP updated to include election in Ashford

[Toylyyev]

Jul 30, 2021 17:27:14 GMT Rutlander said:

RUTLAND UA; Oakham South
Some (fake) ballot papers have been found discarded in the town;
Council comment - www.rutland.gov.uk/my-council/council-news/response-to-fake-ballot-papers-discarded-in-oakham/
Local blogger - martinbrookes.blogspot.com/2021/07/since-allen-grey-wrote-in-rutland-times.htm

A common streak i have with the logger is managing to take notice of Extinction Rebellion in Leicester in July

martinbrookes.blogspot.com/2021/07/leicester-july-2021.html



extinctionrebellion.uk/act-now/campaigns/free-the-press/

The fun quip being that the truth on the white van in that link would look more like four useful tools and the chaps that are supposed to be in control.


PS. This is good: martinbrookes.blogspot.com/2021/08/manchester-last-day.html

[yellowperil]

Ashford Downs North

I will try to provide as much background as I can for this intriguing by-election, which is sort-of local for me, but where I am not directly involved so can take a fairly detached view. There is also a comment in the archives in you look back to the earlier byelection (July 2019) in the same ward, and a lot of background  in the history thread about Ashford borough elections, written for this forum back in 2017.

Downs North ward is a largely rural ward within Ashford Borough but much closer to Canterbury than Ashford - I would guess most of the electors would be much more likely to look to Canterbury for most services than to Ashford. Much of it is high downland and sparsely populated but it also includes a bit of the Stour valley between Ashford and Canterbury with the mainroad and rail links. It comprises 4 parishes- Chilham, Molash, Godmersham and Crundale.Chilham is the only village of any size*, but as well as the little hilltop cluster around the church and castle, within that parish there are also  two sizeable downland hamlets in Shottenden  and Old Wives Lees, and the roadside straggle of Bagham heading towards Canterbury.  The other 3 parishes are barely more than hamlets themselves, and very separate. I have previously related the tale of a famous by election triumph in Molash back in the last century, when Molash was part of Boughton Aluph ward before the creation of Downs North and when the Borough ward here was just called Chilham.

This is just instalment 1- I will say more a bit later about the political history of the ward through this century! 

* " of any size" is relative: Chilham parish is about 1100 people  and the village itself is less than half of that.