Local Council by-elections 13th October 2022

[Tony Otim]

EPPING FOREST DC; Waltham Abbey South West (Green disqualified for non-attendance*)
Candidates:
PARSONS, Joseph Edward (Conservative)
PLUMMER, Dave (Green)



2021: Con 569; Lab 163; For Britain 48; Grn 43
2019: Grn 493; Con 302
2016:Con 309; UKIP 259; Grn 175
2015: Con 837; UKIP 574; Grn 243
2012: Con 373; Lab 160; LD 59
2011: Con 592;Grn 180; LD 110
2008: Con 474; LD 155; UKIP 91
2007: Con 468; LD 269
2004: Con 423; LD 356
2003: Con 324; LD 294
Nov 02by: LD 287; Con 172; Lab 49
2002: Con 398, 389; LD 169

Dave Plummer (Green) is the disqualified councillor.
www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3072999306254099 gives his side of the story.

Current council: Con 35; Loughton Res Ass 13; LD 4; Grn 2; Ind 2; Brit Dem 1; 1 vacancy



GLOUCESTER DC; Tuffley (Con died)
Candidates:
CAMPBELL, Lorraine Joan (Conservative)
COURTNEY, Caroline Catherine (Liberal Democrat)
MILLARD, Tracy Sharon (Labour)

2021: Con 760, 678; Lab 534, 499; Ind 190, 135; LD 86
2016: Con 670, 652; Lab 486, 366; UKIP 276; Grn 116

Tracy Millard was the top Labour candidate here last time and in 2016. She also contested the Tuffley county division for Labour last year.

Current Council: Con 23; LD 11; Lab 3; Ind 1; 1 vacancy



HARTLEPOOL UA; Throston (Lab resigned)
Candidates
HORTON, Jamie (Independent)
McKINSTRAY, Barry J (Liberal Democrat)
SHARP, Cameron James (Labour)
WATERMAN, Jack Glenn (Conservative)

2022: Lab 765; Ind 406; Con 339
2021: Ind 1014, 875; Lab 862, 828, 654; RefUK 528

Vacancy is for the 2022-2026 term. Jamie Horton (Ind) was the runner-up in Rossmere ward in May. Barry McKinstray stood in Foggy Furze for the Lib Dems both in May and the recent by-election and Cameron Sharp stood for Labour in Hart ward in May.

Current Council: Con 14; Lab 12; Ind 4; Hartlepool Ind Union 2; Putting Seaton First 2; Hartlepool People 1; 1 vacancy



LEICESTER UA; North Evington (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
BORA, Aasiya (Green)
DAVE, Jitesh (Liberal Democrat)
MODHWADIA, Sanjay (Conservative)
TEJURA, Rajul (Labour)
WARRINGTON, Tessa Alison (TUSC)

May 21 by: Lab 3306; Con 2565; Grn 241; LD 240; TUSC 117; RefUK 89; For Britain 69; Ind 61; Comm 33
2019: Lab 5201, 5076, 4797; Con 1213, 1106, 1092; Grn 418; LD 353
2015: Lab 5800, 4942, 4834; Con 1414, 1301, 1199; Grn 419; UKIP 327, 291, 280; TUSC 291

Aasiya Bora stood here for the Greens in last year’s by-election.

Current Council: Lab 49; Ind 2; Con 1; LD 1; 1 vacancy



STOCKPORT MBC; Edgeley & Cheadle Heath (Lab died)
Candidates:
COWBURY, Robbie (Liberal Democrat)
HANDSCOMB, Philip Douglas Frank (Green)
LYNOTT, Georgia Madison (Labour)

2022: Lab 2561; Con 460; Grn 302; LD 210
2021: Lab 2172; Con 309; LD 250; Grn 234; RefUK 60
2019: Lab 1797; UKIP 327; Grn 286; Con 256; LD 199
2018: Lab 1709; LD 203; Con 187; Grn 144; UKIP 71
2016: Lab 2214; UKIP 393; Con 252; Grn 198; LD 192
2015: Lab 3466; Con 945; UKIP 857; LD 549; Grn 506
2014: Lab 1884; UKIP 570; Grn 297; Con 267; LD 240
2012: Lab 2205; Con 284; LD 250; Grn 217
2011: Lab 2428; Con 547; LD 406; Grn 256
2010: Lab 3137; LD 1532; Con 1177; BNP 258; Grn 221; Ind 111
2008: Lab 1447; LD 972; Con 481; Grn 199
2007: Lab 1558; LD 1139; Con 444; BNP 285
2006: Lab 1486; LD 548; Con 439; Ind 344; Grn 280
2004: Lab 2098, 2021, 1794; LD 853, 835, 765; Con 565, 542, 533; BNP 385.

Somewhat surprising absence of a Conservative candidate here. The deceased councillor was last elected in 2021, but all-outs next May on new boundaries means the term will run just to then, when this ward is split in two between the new Edgeley and Cheadle East & Cheadle Hulme North wards.

Current Council: LD 28; Lab 24; Con 4; Ind Ratepayers 3; Grn 2; Ind 1; 1 vacancy

[carolus]

There is also Epping Forest, Waltham Abbey South West. Candidates are Con and Green. SOPN: www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Statement-of-persons-nominated-wasw.pdf

[Tony Otim]

Sept 17, 2022 17:59:44 GMT carolus said:

There is also Epping Forest, Waltham Abbey South West. Candidates are Con and Green. SOPN: www.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Statement-of-persons-nominated-wasw.pdf

OP updated - that one's an odd one...

[Pete Whitehead]

Waltham Abbey is an odd place

[batman]

also a bit odd that Labour hasn't stood a candidate in a ward where they were second last year & the circumstances of the by-election don't seem helpful for the Greens.

[johnloony]

Sept 17, 2022 12:58:17 GMT Tony Otim said:

EPPING FOREST DC; Waltham Abbey South West (Green disqualified for non-attendance*)
Candidates:
PARSONS, Joseph Edward (Conservative)
PLUMMER, Dave (Green)

2021: Con 569; Lab 163; For Britain 48; Grn 43
2019: Grn 493; Con 302
2016:Con 309; UKIP 259; Grn 175
2015: Con 837; UKIP 574; Grn 243
2012: Con 373; Lab 160; LD 59
2011: Con 592;Grn 180; LD 110
2008: Con 474; LD 155; UKIP 91
2007: Con 468; LD 269
2004: Con 423; LD 356
2003: Con 324; LD 294
Nov 02by: LD 287; Con 172; Lab 49
2002: Con 398, 389; LD 169

Dave Plummer (Green) is the disqualified councillor.
www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3072999306254099 gives his side of the story.

Current council: Con 35; Loughton Res Ass 13; LD 4; Grn 2; Ind 2; Brit Dem 1; 1 vacancy

How did the Green come to be elected in 2019 in the first place? The result seems so anomalous in the middle of a list of safe Conservative victories.

From his video, I wouldn’t feel comfortable being represented y someone who’s obviously so nervous and emotionally exhausted as he seems to be. His statement was very long-winded and took ages to get to the point. On the one hand, the law presumes that the average citizen knows the law (so technically it’s his fault that he didn’t know that Zoom attendances don’t count as attendances), but on the other hand, I had assumed that council officers would automatically contact a councillor who is approaching the six-month disqualification threshold to warn them. Are there any standard rules about how councils deal with such situations? Or do councils have the option of varying how they deal with it?

[ricmk]

Sept 17, 2022 21:01:32 GMT johnloony said:

Sept 17, 2022 12:58:17 GMT Tony Otim said:

EPPING FOREST DC; Waltham Abbey South West (Green disqualified for non-attendance*)
Candidates:
PARSONS, Joseph Edward (Conservative)
PLUMMER, Dave (Green)

2021: Con 569; Lab 163; For Britain 48; Grn 43
2019: Grn 493; Con 302
2016:Con 309; UKIP 259; Grn 175
2015: Con 837; UKIP 574; Grn 243
2012: Con 373; Lab 160; LD 59
2011: Con 592;Grn 180; LD 110
2008: Con 474; LD 155; UKIP 91
2007: Con 468; LD 269
2004: Con 423; LD 356
2003: Con 324; LD 294
Nov 02by: LD 287; Con 172; Lab 49
2002: Con 398, 389; LD 169

Dave Plummer (Green) is the disqualified councillor.
www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3072999306254099 gives his side of the story.

Current council: Con 35; Loughton Res Ass 13; LD 4; Grn 2; Ind 2; Brit Dem 1; 1 vacancy

How did the Green come to be elected in 2019 in the first place? The result seems so anomalous in the middle of a list of safe Conservative victories.

From his video, I wouldn’t feel comfortable being represented y someone who’s obviously so nervous and emotionally exhausted as he seems to be. His statement was very long-winded and took ages to get to the point. On the one hand, the law presumes that the average citizen knows the law (so technically it’s his fault that he didn’t know that Zoom attendances don’t count as attendances), but on the other hand, I had assumed that council officers would automatically contact a councillor who is approaching the six-month disqualification threshold to warn them. Are there any standard rules about how councils deal with such situations? Or do councils have the option of varying how they deal with it?

Officers might advise, but as with everything else, it's on the Councillor themselves. They are responsible for completing and updating their declaration of interests, for attending meetings, for knowing and staying on the right side of the Code of Conduct.

Quite right imo.

If you are electing someone with the nous to act as Cllr, if they can't sort their own affairs out how can they take responsibility for multi-million pound public services?  My guess is that in a bigger group, some Councillors might have spotted the problem coming and supported him, but with 1 other Green only he'll be more isolated in the first place.  But I struggle to see how this is officers fault, and it was well-publicized that formal Council meetings could no longer be virtual (He says that his virtual attendance didn't count - I don't even think this is right.  By the letter of the law I reckon he should have been prevented from joining online as it's an in-person meeting in law.)

Having watched the video (OK I gave up half way through) my instinct is the same as John's - I wouldn't feel comfortable relying on him as my rep and I almost wonder if it might be a bit of a release for him if he doesn't get re-elected.
 

[batman]

Sept 17, 2022 21:01:32 GMT johnloony said:

Sept 17, 2022 12:58:17 GMT Tony Otim said:

EPPING FOREST DC; Waltham Abbey South West (Green disqualified for non-attendance*)
Candidates:
PARSONS, Joseph Edward (Conservative)
PLUMMER, Dave (Green)

2021: Con 569; Lab 163; For Britain 48; Grn 43
2019: Grn 493; Con 302
2016:Con 309; UKIP 259; Grn 175
2015: Con 837; UKIP 574; Grn 243
2012: Con 373; Lab 160; LD 59
2011: Con 592;Grn 180; LD 110
2008: Con 474; LD 155; UKIP 91
2007: Con 468; LD 269
2004: Con 423; LD 356
2003: Con 324; LD 294
Nov 02by: LD 287; Con 172; Lab 49
2002: Con 398, 389; LD 169

Dave Plummer (Green) is the disqualified councillor.
www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3072999306254099 gives his side of the story.

Current council: Con 35; Loughton Res Ass 13; LD 4; Grn 2; Ind 2; Brit Dem 1; 1 vacancy

How did the Green come to be elected in 2019 in the first place? The result seems so anomalous in the middle of a list of safe Conservative victories.

From his video, I wouldn’t feel comfortable being represented y someone who’s obviously so nervous and emotionally exhausted as he seems to be. His statement was very long-winded and took ages to get to the point. On the one hand, the law presumes that the average citizen knows the law (so technically it’s his fault that he didn’t know that Zoom attendances don’t count as attendances), but on the other hand, I had assumed that council officers would automatically contact a councillor who is approaching the six-month disqualification threshold to warn them. Are there any standard rules about how councils deal with such situations? Or do councils have the option of varying how they deal with it?

you're obviously quite right about the anomalous nature, with knobs on, of the Green gain in 2019. One has to wonder whether there was a particular reason why the Tory candidate was particularly unpopular. Hard to think of another explanation.

[Daft H'a'porth A'peth A'pith]

Sept 17, 2022 22:16:52 GMT batman said:

Sept 17, 2022 21:01:32 GMT johnloony said:

How did the Green come to be elected in 2019 in the first place? The result seems so anomalous in the middle of a list of safe Conservative victories.

From his video, I wouldn’t feel comfortable being represented y someone who’s obviously so nervous and emotionally exhausted as he seems to be. His statement was very long-winded and took ages to get to the point. On the one hand, the law presumes that the average citizen knows the law (so technically it’s his fault that he didn’t know that Zoom attendances don’t count as attendances), but on the other hand, I had assumed that council officers would automatically contact a councillor who is approaching the six-month disqualification threshold to warn them. Are there any standard rules about how councils deal with such situations? Or do councils have the option of varying how they deal with it?

you're obviously quite right about the anomalous nature, with knobs on, of the Green gain in 2019. One has to wonder whether there was a particular reason why the Tory candidate was particularly unpopular. Hard to think of another explanation.

Maybe the last European Elections, which were being campaigned for at the time were an influence. 

Also elected to the Town Council in 2019 and there is an article in which he is described as a community campaigner. So quite possibly we'll know a nd liked and the video above is not him as he is normally. 

[kevinf]

I watched the video for the Epping Forest Green ex-councillor/candidate. I think the Green Party have a duty of care here and shouldn’t have let him stand. He’s clearly not up to being a councillor at present and could have been given a break and stood again in the future. Certainly at the time of the video he was living in Thanet and due to panic attacks couldn’t attend meetings, so unless things have radically changed it’s not going to do his health any good getting re-elected. I really feel for the guy, but the Party should be looking after him better in my view.
I take on board Daft’s comment above.

[Khunanup]

Oct 7, 2022 0:18:55 GMT kevinf said:

I watched the video for the Epping Forest Green ex-councillor/candidate. I think the Green Party have a duty of care here and shouldn’t have let him stand. He’s clearly not up to being a councillor at present and could have been given a break and stood again in the future. Certainly at the time of the video he was living in Thanet and due to panic attacks couldn’t attend meetings, so unless things have radically changed it’s not going to do his health any good getting re-elected. I really feel for the guy, but the Party should be looking after him better in my view.
I take on board Daft’s comment above.

I think he and they are in a better place to consider his mental health recovery than you are from afar.

Anyway, there are so many people in politics with undiagnosed personality disorders (it's the nature of the beast) so I'm not sure why you want to pick on people who have the ability to be self aware enough to talk about their mental health issues and are clearly trying to deal with them.

[iain]

The Gloucester seat should be interesting. The local Labour Party has been totally hapless for quite a while, but they couldn't really ask for a better by-election at a better time, and Tracy Millard does have some personal popularity. I know we've been campaigning a bit, but I don't know to what level.

I think a fair bit of Edgeley & Cheadle Heath is going into Cheadle Hulme North in the Stockport boundary changes, so there may be more of a Lib Dem campaign there than usual too.

[bridgyoldboy]

Oct 7, 2022 13:32:25 GMT Khunanup said:

Oct 7, 2022 0:18:55 GMT kevinf said:

I watched the video for the Epping Forest Green ex-councillor/candidate. I think the Green Party have a duty of care here and shouldn’t have let him stand. He’s clearly not up to being a councillor at present and could have been given a break and stood again in the future. Certainly at the time of the video he was living in Thanet and due to panic attacks couldn’t attend meetings, so unless things have radically changed it’s not going to do his health any good getting re-elected. I really feel for the guy, but the Party should be looking after him better in my view.
I take on board Daft’s comment above.

I think he and they are in a better place to consider his mental health recovery than you are from afar.

Anyway, there are so many people in politics with undiagnosed personality disorders (it's the nature of the beast) so I'm not sure why you want to pick on people who have the ability to be self aware enough to talk about their mental health issues and are clearly trying to deal with them.

Funnily this issue has arisen recently at my former authority in Somerset which is about to disappear in 6 months time. Not surprisingly some members have lost interest and I understand up to 4 Councillors of different political persuasions have triggered the 6 month rule. But quite sensibly a decision has been made not to force by-elections which would be a waste of tax payers money and resources

[john07]

Oct 7, 2022 14:40:23 GMT iain said:

I think a fair bit of Edgeley & Cheadle Heath is going into Cheadle Hulme North in the Stockport boundary changes, so there may be more of a Lib Dem campaign there than usual too.

Most of what used to be the (pre-reorganisation) Cheadle Heath ward is going into the new ward. However there is also Grosvenor Road/Dorset Avenue Estate coming in from Davenport & Cale Green while much of Cheadle Hulme proper (the area south of the Ladybrook/Micker Brook) is destined for Cheadle Hulme South.

It could prove a mighty tough ward from the Lib-Dems on the new boundaries.

[froome]

Oct 7, 2022 14:40:23 GMT iain said:

The Gloucester seat should be interesting. The local Labour Party has been totally hapless for quite a while, but they couldn't really ask for a better by-election at a better time, and Tracy Millard does have some personal popularity. I know we've been campaigning a bit, but I don't know to what level.

Labour really have underperformed in Gloucester for a long time, but surely even they can't miss this open goal?

[iain]

Oct 9, 2022 20:42:35 GMT john07 said:

Oct 7, 2022 14:40:23 GMT iain said:

I think a fair bit of Edgeley & Cheadle Heath is going into Cheadle Hulme North in the Stockport boundary changes, so there may be more of a Lib Dem campaign there than usual too.

Most of what used to be the (pre-reorganisation) Cheadle Heath ward is going into the new ward. However there is also Grosvenor Road/Dorset Avenue Estate coming in from Davenport & Cale Green while much of Cheadle Hulme proper (the area south of the Ladybrook/Micker Brook) is destined for Cheadle Hulme South.

It could prove a mighty tough ward from the Lib-Dems on the new boundaries.

I agree, the new ward looks like a bit of a lift for the Lib Dems.

[evergreenadam]

Sept 17, 2022 20:22:16 GMT Pete Whitehead said:

Waltham Abbey is an odd place

Tell us more!

[Pete Whitehead]

Oct 9, 2022 21:52:47 GMT evergreenadam said:

Sept 17, 2022 20:22:16 GMT Pete Whitehead said:

Waltham Abbey is an odd place

Tell us more!

There's not a lot to tell really. It has a strange vibe - seems very parochial for somewhere so close to London, has some really soulless estates. More tangibly, it has had really erratic voting behaviour in all the wards (apart from High Beach which isn't really Waltham Abbey) for the last 20 years, basically since Labour support has evaporated (and Labour used to pretty strong here, as you'd expect given the demographics). I guess the anti-Tory vote has floundered about looking for whatever alternative is available (and as the figures in the OP show, the options often haven't been very numerous)

[casualobserver]

In Waltham Abbey, Dave Plummer (the Green candidate seeking re-election after falling foul of the 6 month attendance rule) is doubling down on his denial that he hadn't failed to attend meetings just because he wasn't physically present: www.facebook.com/greendavep/videos/the-conservatives-have-been-lying-about-me-on-the-doorstep-saying-among-other-th/2357944774372377/

[owainsutton]

Sept 17, 2022 21:01:32 GMT johnloony said:

Sept 17, 2022 12:58:17 GMT Tony Otim said:

EPPING FOREST DC; Waltham Abbey South West (Green disqualified for non-attendance*)
Candidates:
PARSONS, Joseph Edward (Conservative)
PLUMMER, Dave (Green)

2021: Con 569; Lab 163; For Britain 48; Grn 43
2019: Grn 493; Con 302
2016:Con 309; UKIP 259; Grn 175
2015: Con 837; UKIP 574; Grn 243
2012: Con 373; Lab 160; LD 59
2011: Con 592;Grn 180; LD 110
2008: Con 474; LD 155; UKIP 91
2007: Con 468; LD 269
2004: Con 423; LD 356
2003: Con 324; LD 294
Nov 02by: LD 287; Con 172; Lab 49
2002: Con 398, 389; LD 169

Dave Plummer (Green) is the disqualified councillor.
www.facebook.com/watch/?v=3072999306254099 gives his side of the story.

Current council: Con 35; Loughton Res Ass 13; LD 4; Grn 2; Ind 2; Brit Dem 1; 1 vacancy

How did the Green come to be elected in 2019 in the first place? The result seems so anomalous in the middle of a list of safe Conservative victories.

He ran a textbook year-long campaign. Even though I've only met him online, it's very upsetting to see him in such a bad way.