Ordinary Parish Council Elections - 22 May 2014

[listener]

I am starting a thread here, because I cannot open a new thread under Vote 2014.

[listener]

Parish councils always have all-out elections, usually timed to coincide with the major authority elections. The majority of parish elections took place in 2011 and will take place again next year. A further set of parish elections took place in 2013, to coincide with the unitary county elections.

Where the major authority has elections by thirds, parish council elections are usually arranged in the main election year, 2011 and 2015, but a few elections take place in other years, because of the pattern of ward elections in the major authority.

Next year, Stratford-on-Avon District will move to all-out elections. The parish council elections due this year (188 seats in 29 parishes (34 wards) – including the political Stratford-upon-Avon town council) have been postponed to 2015.

Parish elections due in Cherwell (12 seats in Drayton and Hanwell parishes) and Daventry (11 seats in Barby and Onley parish) have also been postponed to 2015, following recent or impending major authority boundary changes, which have changed the cycle of elections.

Here is a summary of the parish elections and candidates nominated in 2014, prepared before the withdrawal of candidates, which happens more frequently than in major authority elections, to save the cost of an election. It is probably that further elections will eventually be uncontested.

I have posted information on the parish by-elections in the by-election thread for 22 May 2014.

The main political interest (apart from the by-elections) are the council elections of Bewdley (Wyre Forest), Chandler’s Ford (Eastleigh), Chorleywood (Three Rivers), Kendal (South Lakeland) and Royston (North Hertfordshire).




London Boroughs

The law has recently changed and it is now possible to form parish and community councils in London Boroughs. For the first time ever, a community council has been formed in London - Queens Park in Westminster.

There are four community wards with 3 seats each, unhelpfully named QPA, QPB, QPC and QPD after the underlying polling districts.

There are 17 candidates, all with Non-Political Descriptions. Two wards (QPA and QPB) are CONTESTED with 6 and 5 candidates respectively. Two wards (QPC and QPD) are UNCONTESTED with exactly 3 candidates each.




Metropolitan Districts

All parish council elections take place in 2011 and 2015, except for Ringway parish in Manchester (2014) and New Frankley parish in Birmingham (2012).

The tiny Ringway parish at the southernmost tip of the City of Manchester includes the whole of Manchester Airport and had a population in the 2011 census of just 103.

Apart from Ringway, there are elections for a new parish of Chadwick End formed in Solihull and for a new Woodkirk ward of Morley Town Council in Leeds, following the extension of Morley into the neighbouring unparished area.

There are parish by-elections in Bolton, Doncaster, Calderdale and Leeds.

Here is a summary of the substantive elections:

• Ringway (Manchester) (5 seats) – 5 No Description – UNCONTESTED

• Chadwick End (Solihull) (5 seats) – 4 No Description and 1 Non-Political Description – UNCONTESTED

• Morley (Woodkirk) in Leeds (2 seats) – 2 Morley Borough Independents and 2 Lab - CONTESTED



Unitary Authorities

Of the 19 Unitary Authorities with elections by thirds, 8 districts have no parishes at all (Bristol, Reading, Derby, Plymouth, Thurrock, Portsmouth, Southampton and Kingston-upo-Hull), whilst a further 5 districts have no parish elections this year (Slough, Milton Keynes, Warrington, Southend-on-Sea and North East Lincolnshire).

There are parish elections in the remaining 6 Unitary Authorities.

There are parish by-elections in Milton Keynes Warrington and Southend-on-Sea.


Here is a summary of the substantive elections:

• Blackburn with Darwen (Lancashire) (11 seats in 2 parishes) – Nominations not yet published – but expected to be non-political and uncontested

• Halton (Cheshire) (10 seats in one parish (Hale)) – 9 candidates (all No Description) – UNCONTESTED

• Hartlepool (Cleveland) (21 seats in 3 parishes) – all UNCONTESTED with 19 No Description candidates

• Peterborough (Cambridgeshire) (103 seats in 12 parishes (14 wards) – 13 parishes and wards UNCONTESTED (including one parish with no candidates all) – 1 parish ward (Hampton Hargate) CONTESTED with 8 candidates chasing 7 seats (1 Green, 1 Independent and 6 No Description)

• Swindon (Wiltshire) (41 seats in 5 parishes (8 wards) – all UNCONTESTED with No Description candidates, including two parish wards with no candidates at all

• Wokingham (Berkshire) (38 seats in 4 Parishes (7 wards)) – Nominations not yet published – but expected to be non-political and uncontested



Unitary Authorities

Of the 74 shire districts with elections by thirds, 20 districts have no parishes at all (Broxbourne, Cambridge, Crawley, Exeter, Harlow, Fareham, Gosport, Hastings, Havant, Ipswich, Lincoln, Norwich, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Runnymede, Rushmoor, Stevenage, Tamworth, Watford, Woking and Worthing).

A further 24 districts have no parish elections this year (Amber Valley, Adur, Brentwood, Cannock Chase, Castle Point, Elmbridge, Epping Forest, Gloucester, Great Yarmouth, Harrogate, Hyndburn, Mole Valley, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Pendle, Preston, Redditch, Reigate and Banstead, Rossendale, St. Albans, Stratford-on-Avon, Tandridge, Welwyn Hatfield, Weymouth and Portland and Worcester).

There are parish elections in the remaining 30 Shire Districts.

There are parish by-elections in Adur, Cherwell, Craven, Eastleigh, Epping Forest Hart, Huntingdonshire, Three Rivers, Tunbridge Wells and West Oxfordshire.


Here is a summary of the substantive elections:

• Basildon (Essex) (7 seats in 1 parish (Bowers Gifford and North Benfleet)) – 6 candidates, alL non-political – UNCONTESTED

• Basingstoke and Deane (Hampshire) (52 seats in 7 parishes (8 wards)) – all non-political – 2 CONTESTED and 6 UNCONTESTED

• Bassetlaw (Nottinghamshire) (113 seats in 11 parishes (16 wards)) - all non-political – 1 CONTESTED and 15 UNCONTESTED

• Burnley (Lancashire) (33 seats in 3 parishes (7 wards)) – all non-political (including the five wards of Padiham Town Council) – 7 UNCONTESTED

• Carlisle (Cumbria) (15 seats in 1 parish (Dalston)) – 16 candidates, alL non-political – CONTESTED

• Cheltenham (Gloucestershire) (64 seats in 5 parishes (11 wards) – all non-political and UNCONTESTED – 2 parish wards with no candidates

• Cherwell (Oxfordshire) (212 seats in 31 parishes) – all non-political – 4 CONTESTED and 27 UNCONTESTED

• Chorley (Lancashire) (50 seats in 5 parishes (8 wards)) – all non-political – 8 UNCONTESTED

• Colchester (Essex) (57 seats in 7 parishes (12 wards)) - Nominations not yet published – but expected to be non-political and uncontested

• Craven (North Yorkshire) (115 seats in 17 parishes (18 wards)) – all non-political – 4 CONTESTED and 14 UNCONTESTED

• Daventry (Northamptonshire) (166 seats in 18 parishes (23 wards)) – all non-political – 5 CONTESTED and 18 UNCONTESTED

• Eastleigh (Hampshire) (26 seats in 2 parishes (6 wards) – ALL CONTESTED
Allbrook and North Boyatt parish (8 Seats) – 13 candidates (4 Lib Dem, 4 Lab, 4 Independent and 1 Action Group)
Chandler’s Ford parish (18 Seats in 5 wards) – 35 candidates (17 Lib Dem, 16 Con and 2 Lab)

• Hart (Hampshire) (51 seats in 6 parishes (12 wards) – mainly non-political – 1 CONTESTED and 11 UNCONTESTED – 1 parish ward with no candidates
Fleet Town Council has some political candidates (3 Con, 2 Lib Dem and 1 Official Monster Raving Loony Party), but is entirely uncontested

• Hertsmere (Hertfordshire) (9 seats in one parish (Shenley)) – 8 candidates (all No Description) – UNCONTESTED

• Huntingdonshire (Cambridgeshire) (170 seats in 20 parishes) – all non-political – 3 CONTESTED and 17 UNCONTESTED

• Maidstone (Kent) (5 seats in 1 parish (East Sutton)) - Nominations not yet published – but expected to be non-political and uncontested

• North Hertfordshire (45 seats in 4 parishes (7 wards)) – Royston Town is political, but the other parishes are non-political – 5 CONTESTED (including 3 in Royston) and 2 UNCONTESTED
Royston has 35 candidates for 15 seats (11 Con, 10 UKIP, 8 Lab, 3 Lib Dem, 2 Green and 1 Independent)

• Oxford (26 seats in 2 parishes (3 wards)) – all non-political – 1 CONTESTED and 2 UNCONTESTED

• Purbeck (Dorset) (114 seats in 14 parishes) – all non-political – 1 CONTESTED and 13 UNCONTESTED

• Rochford (Essex) (24 seats in 2 parishes (5 wards)) – all non-political and UNCONTESTED – 1 parish ward with no candidates

• Rugby (Warwickshire) (53 seats in 7 parishes) – all non-political – 7 UNCONTESTED

• South Cambridgeshire (308 seats in 30 parishes) – all non-political – 3 CONTESTED and 27 UNCONTESTED

• South Lakeland (Cumbria) (55 seats in 5 towns and parishes (21 wards)
Kendal Town Council (28 seats in 16 wards) – 49 candidates (28 Lib Dems, 17 Labour, 3 Con and 2 Green) – 6 Lib Dems in 4 wards UNCONTESTED – remaining 12 wards CONTESTED
Remaining 4 towns and parishes (27 seats in 5 wards) – all non-political – 3 parishes (4 wards) UNCONTESTED –
Sedbergh Town Council CONTESTED (12 candidates for 11 seats)

• Stroud (Gloucestershire) (174 seats in 22 parishes (29 wards)) – all non-political – 3 CONTESTED and 27 UNCONTESTED

• Three Rivers (17 seats in Chorleywood parish (4 wards)) – all CONTESTED – 28 candidates for 17 seats (17 Lib Dem, 7 Con, 2 UKIP, 1 Lab and 1 Ind)

• Tunbridge Wells (Kent) (9 seats in 1 parish (Benenden)) - 6 candidates, alL non-political – UNCONTESTED

• West Lancashire (42 seats in 5 parishes (11 wards)) – all non-political – 11 UNCONTESTED – 3 parish wards with no candidates

• West Oxfordshire (115 seats in 17 parishes (18 wards)) – all non-political – all UNCONTESTED

• Winchester (Hampshire) (144 seats in 19 parishes) - Nominations not yet published – but expected to be non-political and uncontested

• Wyre Forest (Worcestershire) (56 seats in 6 parishes (10 wards)) - Bewdley Town is political, but the other parishes are non-political – 3 CONTESTED (in Bewdley) and 7 UNCONTESTED
Bewdley has 38 candidates for 13 seats (13 Con, 13 Lab, 11 Independent Community and Health Concern (ICHC), 1 UKIP)

[Davıd Boothroyd]

I posted the Queen's Park Community Council noms under the Westminster thread. There will be unopposed returns in two polling districts (which double as parish wards for the Community Council; each has three councillors); contested elections in the other two, with five and six candidates.

It had been agreed beforehand that the Community Council would not be partisan. There are sometimes confusing patterns within the candidates. In QPA (the west of the ward, comprising the original 1880s Queen's Park Estate built for railway workers), Ryan Dalton is seconded by Emma Sweeney, who is another candidate (she's been a leader of the campaign, and is vice-chair of the shadow council). Angie Durrance and Kimberley Durrance, who both live at the same address, are both standing with the same description. However Angie Durrance seconded Emma Sweeney's nomination.

In QPB (based on the 1970s Mozart Estate), Fiona Doherty, Julius Hogben and Deborah Lauder are all nominated by the same person.

[psephos]

Apr 26, 2014 17:50:31 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

I posted the Queen's Park Community Council noms under the Westminster thread. There will be unopposed returns in two polling districts (which double as parish wards for the Community Council; each has three councillors); contested elections in the other two, with five and six candidates.

It had been agreed beforehand that the Community Council would not be partisan. There are sometimes confusing patterns within the candidates. In QPA (the west of the ward, comprising the original 1880s Queen's Park Estate built for railway workers), Ryan Dalton is seconded by Emma Sweeney, who is another candidate (she's been a leader of the campaign, and is vice-chair of the shadow council). Angie Durrance and Kimberley Durrance, who both live at the same address, are both standing with the same description. However Angie Durrance seconded Emma Sweeney's nomination.

In QPB (based on the 1970s Mozart Estate), Fiona Doherty, Julius Hogben and Deborah Lauder are all nominated by the same person.

Whose idea was it to have QPA... QPD (presumably the polling districts) warsds? My asusmption was the wards were set byt he LGBCE; I know there was no ward review inW estminster recently, but there's no indication of any determination of wards on the LBGCE website. AT any rate I'd expect better names!

[peterl]

Had a look in more detail at Purbeck seeing as its relatively near to me and this is the full score.

Affpuddle and Turnerspuddle 6 for 9
Arne 5 for 7
Bere Regis 9 for 11
Chaldon Herring 5 for 7
Church Knowle 6 for 9
East Lulworth 6 for 7
East Stoke 6 for 7
Lytchett Matravers 7 for 11
Morden 6 for 7
Morton 1 for 7
West Lulworth 9 for 9
Winfrith Newburgh and East
Knighton 6 for 7
Worth Matravers 6 for 7

Langton Matravers contested with 10 for 9

A single Green in Langton Matravers is the only partisan candidate in the lot.

[Davıd Boothroyd]

Apr 26, 2014 19:07:25 GMT psephos said:

Whose idea was it to have QPA... QPD (presumably the polling districts) warsds? My asusmption was the wards were set byt he LGBCE; I know there was no ward review inW estminster recently, but there's no indication of any determination of wards on the LBGCE website. AT any rate I'd expect better names!

It was part of the original reorganisation order; I believe it was proposed by the campaign for the community council, who wanted to make sure they had a decent balance between the different parts of the area.

The polling districts were last reviewed in 2011 (although no change was made; Queen's Park has essentially had the same polling districts for decades).

[psephos]

Apr 26, 2014 19:55:43 GMT Davıd Boothroyd said:

Apr 26, 2014 19:07:25 GMT psephos said:

Whose idea was it to have QPA... QPD (presumably the polling districts) warsds? My asusmption was the wards were set byt he LGBCE; I know there was no ward review inW estminster recently, but there's no indication of any determination of wards on the LBGCE website. AT any rate I'd expect better names!

It was part of the original reorganisation order; I believe it was proposed by the campaign for the community council, who wanted to make sure they had a decent balance between the different parts of the area.

The polling districts were last reviewed in 2011 (although no change was made; Queen's Park has essentially had the same polling districts for decades).

That's very odd; I thpought the Local Boundary Commission had a role, to the point where one cul de sac in Skegness is now a Skegness town council ward because of differences between district and county council wards, so odd to see the commission sidelined hrre.

[Davıd Boothroyd]

The LGBCE do review parish ward boundaries as part of their review of the principal area, but the last Westminster review was in 2000. Polling district boundaries have to be reviewed every five years but that is at the discretion of the council.

[Deleted]

Isn't there an issue with 3 elections on the same day ? I can't remember where I heard that GE, unitary & Parish can't happen on the same day in 2015 ?

[The Bishop]

May 9, 2014 8:19:24 GMT @robin said:

Isn't there an issue with 3 elections on the same day ? I can't remember where I heard that GE, unitary & Parish can't happen on the same day in 2015 ?

Used to be true - was in 1979 IIRC - but isn't the case anymore.

[Dan]

Apr 26, 2014 17:46:40 GMT listener said:

• Rugby (Warwickshire) (53 seats in 7 parishes) – all non-political – 7 UNCONTESTED

For what it's worth (and admitedly that's not much!), I am one of these.

[Pimpernal]

Apr 26, 2014 19:39:29 GMT peterl said:

Had a look in more detail at Purbeck seeing as its relatively near to me and this is the full score.

Affpuddle and Turnerspuddle 6 for 9
Arne 5 for 7
Bere Regis 9 for 11
Chaldon Herring 5 for 7
Church Knowle 6 for 9
East Lulworth 6 for 7
East Stoke 6 for 7
Lytchett Matravers 7 for 11
Morden 6 for 7
Morton 1 for 7
West Lulworth 9 for 9
Winfrith Newburgh and East
Knighton 6 for 7
Worth Matravers 6 for 7

Langton Matravers contested with 10 for 9

A single Green in Langton Matravers is the only partisan candidate in the lot.

Morton looks a bit fecked! Any story behind this?

[peterl]

All I know is that the sole candidate is Philip Brinson (Independent) and that elections for the remaining seats have been scheduled now for June 12th.

[Deleted]

B&NES is only partly parished, so only the non-Bath area having 2nd tier elections.