Local Council By-elections 2nd March 2023

[Tony Otim]

KENT CC; Hythe West (Ind elected as Con resigned)
Candidates:
COOPER, Tony (Labour)
GABRIS, John (Conservative)
HAWKINS, Jenni (Green)
MEYERS, Ian Barry (Independent)
WEATHERHEAD, Andy (Independent)

2021: Con 2592; Grn 1997; Lab 499; UKIP 189
2017: Grn 2234; Con 2044; UKIP 493; Lab 340; LD 280

Andy Weatherhead is the former councillor whose resignation triggered the by-election. His resignation followed a Hope Not Hate investigation which revealed that he had previously been a prominent member of fascist organisation New British Union. Ian Meyers was the UKIP candidate in 2017 and sitting district councillor for Romney Marsh ward, which is partially in this division. Tony Cooper contested Romney Marsh ward for Labour in 2019. The rest of Romney Marsh ward is of course in Romney Marsh division, which both Meyers and Cooper contested unsuccessfully in 2021. Jenni Hawkins contested East Folkestone ward (not in this division at all) for the Greens in 2019.

Current Council: Con 60; Lab 7; LD 6; Grn 4; Swale Ind 1; Swanscombe & Greenhithe Residents 1; 2 vacancies



NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE MBC; Byker (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
HARTLEY, Nicholas Terry (Green)
QURESHI, Hayder Alam Umor (Labour)
RIDYARD, Mark William (Liberal Democrats)
WHELAN HARVEY, Aaron (Conservative)

2022: Lab 1241; Con 286; Grn 274; LD 108
2021: Lab 1175, 1170; Con 450, 406; Grn 297, 264; LD 107, 86
2019: Lab 1109; UKIP 339; Ind 200; Grn 194; Con 103; LD 83
2018: Lab 1436, 1297, 1294; Grn 223; Con 185, 171, 166; Ind 185; UKIP 183; LD 122, 90, 87

Vacancy is for the 2022-26 term. Nick Hartley was the top Green candidate in 2021 and also stood in 2019 and 2018, but contested Ouseburn last year, whilst Aaron Whelan Harvey contested North Jesmond for the Conservatives.

Current Council: Lab 50; LD 21; Ind 3; Newcastle Ind 3; 1 vacancy



OXFORD DC; Littlemore (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
COX, Rachel Louise (TUSC)
DOUGLAS, Sandy (Labour)
EVANS, Michael Anthony (Independent)
JUPP, Theo (Liberal Democrat)
PATMORE, Timothy Douglas (Conservative)
THOMAS, David Nicholas (Green)

2022: Lab 718; Ind 557; Con 186; Grn 106; LD 55
2021: Lab 711, 686; Con 334, 236; Grn 216, 170; LD 140, 66

Vacancy is for 2021-24 term and is caused by a separate resignation to the county vacancy (see below). David Thomas was Green candidate here in 2022 and second Green candidate in 2021. Michael Evans was runner-up in Rose Hill & Iffley as an independent last year and also contested the Rose Hill & Littlemore division (see below) in 2021, whilst Tim Patmore contested Lye Valley in 2022 & 2021 and Churchill & Lye Valle division in 2021 and Theo Jupp stood in Iffley Fields & St Marys division and Cowley ward in 2021

Current Council: Lab 31; LD 9; Grn 6; Ind Grp 1; 1 vacancy



OXFORDSHIRE CC; Rose Hill & Littlemore (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
ELPHINSTONE, Trish (Labour)
EVANS, Michael Anthony (Independent)
JOYCE, Callum Joseph (TUSC)
JUPP, Theo (Liberal Democrats)
PATMORE, Timothy Douglas (Conservative)
THOMAS, David Nicholas (Green)

2021: Lab 1537; Con 516; Grn 385; Ind 341; LD 158
2017: Lab 1410; Con 462; LD 259; Grn 196
2013: Lab 1051; Con 274; Grn 255; LD 76

See the district election above for details about the independent, LD, Conservative and Green, although also add that Tim Patmore stood in this division for the Conservatives back in 2013. Trish Elphinstone contested Headington & Quarry division and Quarry & Risinghurst ward for Labour in 2021 and Headington ward in 2022.

Current Council: LD-Grn Alliance 24 (21 LD, 3 Grn ); Con-Ind Alliance 22 (21 Con, 1 Ind); Lab 14; Ind (non-grouped) 2; 1 vacancy



STAFFORDSHIRE CC; Watling South (Con resigned)
Candidates:
FARRELL, Alexander Charles (Conservative)
DEAN, Carol Ann (Labour)
GWILT, Barry John (Reform UK)
MILLER-VINEY, Helen Jane (Liberal Democrat)

2021: Con 2182; Lab 942; UKIP 154
Dec 19by: Con 4304; Lab 1493; LD 580
2017: Con 1780; Lab 723; UKIP 307; LD 132; Grn 68
2013: Con 1414; Lab 1117; LD 185

Alexander Farrell is the sitting district councillor for Castle ward (not in this division) since 2019. Carol Dean contested Amington Ward (also not in this division) for Labour last year.

Current Council: Con 54; Lab 5; Ind 2; 1 vacancy



TAMWORTH DC; Belgrave (Ind elected as Con resigned).
Candidates:
ADAMS, Craig (Labour)
BAYLISS, Adam (Green)
COOPER, Ian Stuart (Reform UK)
TAYLOR, Charlie (Independent)
THOMPSON, Paul David (Conservative)

2022: Con 637; Lab 538; Ind 237; Grn 92
2021: Con 925; Lab 504; UKIP 91
2019: Con 610; Lab 419; UKIP 290; Ind 136; Grn 97
2018: Con 769; Lab 540; UKIP 199; Grn 75
2016: Con 628; Lab 583; UKIP 406; Ind 75
2015: Con 1451; Lab 1166; UKIP 827
2014: Con 635; Lab 542; UKIP 464; Grn 72
2012: Lab 694; Con 679
2011: Lab 994; Con 930
2010: Lab 1625; Con 1553
2008: Con 785; Lab 587; Ind 196
2007: Con 776; Lab 569; Ind 245
2006: Con 921; Lab 694
2004: Con 575; Lab 544; Ind 443;
2003: Lab 468; Con 374; Ind 200
2002: Lab 658, 630, 608; Con 542, 472, 460

Vacancy is for the 2021-24 term. This vacancy is caused by the resignation of the same councillor as for the county vacancy above, although this ward is actually in Watling North division. Craig Adams contested Mercian ward last year and Adam Bayliss contested Stonydelph for the Greens.

Current Council: Con 19; Ind 7; Lab 3; UKIP 1; 1 vacancy

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Feb 6, 2023 9:37:11 GMT Tony Otim said:

STAFFORDSHIRE CC; Watling South (Con resigned)
Candidates:
FARRELL, Alexander Charles (Conservative)
DEAN, Carol Ann (Labour)
GWILT, Barry John (Reform UK)
MILLER-VINEY, Helen Jane (Liberal Democrat)

2021: Con 2182; Lab 942; UKIP 154
Dec 19by: Con 4304; Lab 1493; LD 580
2017: Con 1780; Lab 723; UKIP 307; LD 132; Grn 68
2013: Con 1414; Lab 1117; LD 185

Alexander Farrell is the sitting district councillor for Castle ward (not in this division) since 2019. Carol Dean contested Amington Ward (also not in this division) for Labour last year.

Barry Gwilt is Lichfield district councillor for Fazeley, elected for the Conservatives but having joined Reform UK last month. Fazeley is an adjacent ward and quite closely linked with Watling, although it's not in Tamworth borough.

[Tony Otim]

Feb 6, 2023 10:15:40 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

Feb 6, 2023 9:37:11 GMT Tony Otim said:

STAFFORDSHIRE CC; Watling South (Con resigned)
Candidates:
FARRELL, Alexander Charles (Conservative)
DEAN, Carol Ann (Labour)
GWILT, Barry John (Reform UK)
MILLER-VINEY, Helen Jane (Liberal Democrat)

2021: Con 2182; Lab 942; UKIP 154
Dec 19by: Con 4304; Lab 1493; LD 580
2017: Con 1780; Lab 723; UKIP 307; LD 132; Grn 68
2013: Con 1414; Lab 1117; LD 185

Alexander Farrell is the sitting district councillor for Castle ward (not in this division) since 2019. Carol Dean contested Amington Ward (also not in this division) for Labour last year.

Barry Gwilt is Lichfield district councillor for Fazeley, elected for the Conservatives but having joined Reform UK last month. Fazeley is an adjacent ward and quite closely linked with Watling, although it's not in Tamworth borough.

Thanks - I knew the I'd seen the name somewhere, but couldn't quite place it...

[markgoodair]

Who is Nick?

[Tony Otim]

Feb 6, 2023 10:37:10 GMT markgoodair said:

Who is Nick?

A symptom of me not paying enough attention, apparently, now corrected...

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Feb 6, 2023 10:32:18 GMT Tony Otim said:

Feb 6, 2023 10:15:40 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

Barry Gwilt is Lichfield district councillor for Fazeley, elected for the Conservatives but having joined Reform UK last month. Fazeley is an adjacent ward and quite closely linked with Watling, although it's not in Tamworth borough.

Thanks - I knew the I'd seen the name somewhere, but couldn't quite place it...

I wouldn't be entirely surprised to find that the reason he defected was that he'd tried to be the Conservative candidate for the byelection but lost the selection.

[timrollpickering]

Feb 6, 2023 9:37:11 GMT Tony Otim said:

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE MBC; Byker (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
HARTLEY, Nicholas Terry (Green)
QURESHI, Hayder Alam Umor (Labour)
RIDYARD, Mark William (Liberal Democrats)
WHELAN HARVEY, Aaron (Conservative)

For the declaration will the candidates all jump up with inane grins on their faces whilst a football bounces making a very odd sound?

[johnloony]

Feb 21, 2023 19:05:39 GMT timrollpickering said:

Feb 6, 2023 9:37:11 GMT Tony Otim said:

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE MBC; Byker (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
HARTLEY, Nicholas Terry (Green)
QURESHI, Hayder Alam Umor (Labour)
RIDYARD, Mark William (Liberal Democrats)
WHELAN HARVEY, Aaron (Conservative)

For the declaration will the candidates all jump up with inane grins on their faces whilst a football bounces making a very odd sound?

No, but why do you ask such a ludicrously doubleplusnincompoopismatic question?

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Feb 21, 2023 22:21:37 GMT johnloony said:

Feb 21, 2023 19:05:39 GMT timrollpickering said:

For the declaration will the candidates all jump up with inane grins on their faces whilst a football bounces making a very odd sound?

No, but why do you ask such a ludicrously doubleplusnincompoopismatic question?

To warn against the dangers of misuse of paintball guns.

[timrollpickering]

Feb 21, 2023 22:21:37 GMT johnloony said:

Feb 21, 2023 19:05:39 GMT timrollpickering said:

For the declaration will the candidates all jump up with inane grins on their faces whilst a football bounces making a very odd sound?

No, but why do you ask such a ludicrously doubleplusnincompoopismatic question?

(The relevant one is the second, starting at 0:56 if the setting doesn't work.)

[phil156]

Kent, Staffordshire & Tamworth are Friday morning. Newcastle, Oxford & Oxfordshire are Thursday night counting

[matureleft]

The two Oxford vacancies - City and County - should give an opportunity for objection for those concerned about the traffic management measures planned by the two councils. There's been a big noise on the web.

I note the Tory is opposing the measures but (bearing in mind who the voters are!) he nevertheless says he’s as keen as anyone to tackle climate change.

[Deleted]

I've been travelling through the Oxford County division and possibly the district ward on a bus once a week for over a month. I have seen one poster stake, for Labour, and no other sign of anything happening

[iang]

I was in Oxford visiting my daughter the day after the protest last week. It had apparently been quite big and blocked the roads around Carfax. The following day there were still a handful of people with anti LTN / conspiracy theory placards sitting there. Lawrence Fox, Piers Corbyn and apparently 1990s disco gods Right Said Fred were all there. How many from the wards voting today were there is of course something different

[bjornhattan]

Mar 2, 2023 12:29:30 GMT iang said:

I was in Oxford visiting my daughter the day after the protest last week. It had apparently been quite big and blocked the roads around Carfax. The following day there were still a handful of people with anti LTN / conspiracy theory placards sitting there. Lawrence Fox, Piers Corbyn and apparently 1990s disco gods Right Said Fred were all there. How many from the wards voting today were there is of course something different

It's hard to say for certain, but Littlemore does have a relatively high proportion of drivers compared with Oxford as a whole. Car ownership is above the city average, and Littlemore has the 3rd highest proportion of residents who drive to work. It's not a well off area by any means but neither is it very deprived in the way Blackbird Leys is - mostly it's an upper working class area with the skilled trades well represented. It's also almost 75% white which is the highest figure of any of the working class wards in South/East Oxford - another way in which it feels more suburban than urban.

Rose Hill is rather different in character - it's a lot more diverse, a bit more deprived, and more "inner city" in character. The Conservatives might win the city ward and not the county division, but almost certainly not the other way round.

[John Chanin]

medium.com/britainelects/previewing-the-six-council-by-elections-of-2nd-march-2023-a7249372dc11

[timrollpickering]

Mar 2, 2023 13:39:36 GMT John Chanin said:

medium.com/britainelects/previewing-the-six-council-by-elections-of-2nd-march-2023-a7249372dc11

Rather restrained about Sir Edward Watkin but in fairness his impact was mainly elsewhere. His confrontational approach in the railway industry led to many problems of duplication and poor connections, some of which last to this day. And politically he left so much confusion about his affiliation in later years (at times it seemed he was little more than a single issue MP who'd back anyone to get support for the Channel Tunnel) that the Conservative and Liberal Unionists had a dispute over which had the incumbency rights when he stood down.

His fights with J.S. Forbes were legendary though I don't think the division reaches the old Elham Valley Line.

[Pete Whitehead]

Perhaps because of this, Littlemore wasn’t incorporated into Oxford until the big-bang reorganisation of 1974

Actually it wasn't until about 1991 when it was moved from South Oxfordshire along with Old Marston and Risinghurst

[East Anglian Lefty]

Mar 2, 2023 13:25:57 GMT bjornhattan said:

Mar 2, 2023 12:29:30 GMT iang said:

I was in Oxford visiting my daughter the day after the protest last week. It had apparently been quite big and blocked the roads around Carfax. The following day there were still a handful of people with anti LTN / conspiracy theory placards sitting there. Lawrence Fox, Piers Corbyn and apparently 1990s disco gods Right Said Fred were all there. How many from the wards voting today were there is of course something different

It's hard to say for certain, but Littlemore does have a relatively high proportion of drivers compared with Oxford as a whole. Car ownership is above the city average, and Littlemore has the 3rd highest proportion of residents who drive to work. It's not a well off area by any means but neither is it very deprived in the way Blackbird Leys is - mostly it's an upper working class area with the skilled trades well represented. It's also almost 75% white which is the highest figure of any of the working class wards in South/East Oxford - another way in which it feels more suburban than urban.

Rose Hill is rather different in character - it's a lot more diverse, a bit more deprived, and more "inner city" in character. The Conservatives might win the city ward and not the county division, but almost certainly not the other way round.

Why the Conservatives? I would think given previous election results that if anybody was going to challenge Labour then an independent candidate would be best placed to do so.

[carlton43]

Mar 2, 2023 15:05:26 GMT timrollpickering said:

Mar 2, 2023 13:39:36 GMT John Chanin said:

medium.com/britainelects/previewing-the-six-council-by-elections-of-2nd-march-2023-a7249372dc11

Rather restrained about Sir Edward Watkin but in fairness his impact was mainly elsewhere. His confrontational approach in the railway industry led to many problems of duplication and poor connections, some of which last to this day. And politically he left so much confusion about his affiliation in later years (at times it seemed he was little more than a single issue MP who'd back anyone to get support for the Channel Tunnel) that the Conservative and Liberal Unionists had a dispute over which had the incumbency rights when he stood down.

His fights with J.S. Forbes were legendary though I don't think the division reaches the old Elham Valley Line.

I have walked nearly the entire length of the Elham Valley line and a very pleasant walk it was too.