A TOTAL of 67 candidates will be contesting 20 seats on Warrington Borough Council in the May 5 elections.
Labour and the Conservatives are each fielding candidates for all 20 seats, the Liberal Democrats 18 and there are five Green Party candidates, three
UK Independence Party candidates and one British National Party.
The council is currently poised on a knife-edge, with a coalition of 23 Lib Dems and six Conservatives in control.
Labour is the largest party with 28 seats – just one short of the coalition’s total.
Liberal Democrat leader of the council Ian Marks (pictured) is defending his seat at Lymm.
The Lib Dems are defending 10 seats, with several looking vulnerable to Labour. The Conservatives are defending one seat at Culcheth, where sitting councillor Sue Bland faces a challenge from Labour’s Chris Vobe, son of the Warrington North MP Helen Jones.
Former Lib Dem councillor Peter Walker, who lost his Stretton seat at the last election, is bidding to make a come-back at Appleton, where sitting
Lib Dem Cllr Ray Hanock is not seeking re-election.
At Latchford West, deputy mayor Cllr Ted Finnegan (Lib Dem) is defending his seat against Labour,Conservative and Green candidates.
Intriguingly, at Penketh and Cuerdley, the Lib Dems are not fielding a candidate, leaving the way clear for a straight fight between Labour and Conservative.
But Cllr Paul Kennedy, the Conservative’s nominating officer, is adamant there is no question of a pact.
He said: “We are opposing Liberal Democrat candidates right across the borough. I have no idea why they are not contesting Penketh.”
The lone British National Party candidate is fighting the Bewsey and Whitecross ward where Lib Dem executive member Cllor Bob Timmis is defending his seat against Conservative and Labour opponents.
The full line-up of candidates is as follows:
Appleton: Paul Carter (Lab); Phil Marshall (Cons); Peter Walker (Lib Dem).
Bewsey and Whitecross: Jonathan Levy (Cons); Steve Parish (Lab); Mike Philips (BNP); *Bob Timmis (Lib Dem).
Birchwood: *Chris Fitzsimmons (Lab); Christine Oliver (Lib Dem); Judith Wise (Cons).
Burtonwood and Winwick: Frank Allen (Cons); *John Joyce (Lab).
Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft: *Sue Bland (Cons); Merril Cummerson (Lib Dem); Chris Vobe (Lab).
Fairfield and Howley: Sandra Bradshaw (Lib Dem); *Tony Higgins (Lab); Ileyne Hutchinson (Cons); Lyndsay McAteer (Green).
Grappenhall and Thelwall: *Mike Biggin (Lib Dem); Roger Cawthorne (Cons); Helen Dutton (Lab); Richard Vaughan (UKIP).
Great Sankey North: Stephanie Davies (Green); David McNeilage (Cons); Dan Price (Lab); *Roy Smith (Lib Dem).
Great Sankey South: Sam Baxter (Cons); Jean Carter (Lab); Jim Regan (Lib Dem).
Latchford East: *Hans Mundry (Lab); Tim Price (Lib Dem); Lance Reah (Cons).
Latchford West: *Ted Finnegan (Lib Dem); Matthew Harris (Cons); Maureen McLaughlin (Lab); Mike Smith (Green).
Lymm: James Ashington (UKIP); *Ian Marks (Lib Dem); Harish Sharma (Cons); Su Williams (Lab).
Orford: Edgar Davies (Lib Dem); *Kate Hannon (Lab); Brian Lambert (Cons).
Penketh and Cuerdley: *Linda Dirir (Lab); Peter Elton (Cons).
Poplars and Hulme: Bob Haskew-Jones (Lib Dem); John Leslie (Cons); *Steve Roberts (Lab).
Poulton North: Mark Chapman (Cons); Graham Friend (Lab); *Colin Oliver (Lib Dem).
Rixton and Woolston: Nigel Balding (Cons); *Paul Bretherton (Lab); Diana Grylls (Lib Dem); Ross Lloyd (Green).
Stockton Heath: *Celia Jordan (Lib Dem); Laurence Murphy (Lab); Stephen Taylor (Cons); Kenneth Wilson (Green).
Westbrook: Derek Clark (UKIP); Jan Davidson (Lab); Stefan Krizanac (Lib Dem); Robert MacLaren (Cons).
Whittle Hall: Stephen Bradley (Cons); Faisal Rashid (Lab); *Judith Wheeler (Lib Dem).
67 candidates in election battle
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About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
15 Comments
No Lib-dumb candidate in Penketh??? Of course there’s no pact “Warrington Eye”!
I have a feeling Lib Dims will win in Appleton and Grappenhall….anyone got any other predictions ?
Yes: whoever wins what, Obs will be moaning about it.
33 Labour v 24 The Rest
if Labour get in watch the melt down at the council just like the melt down across the UK when they were in power. I see the Carters – Husband and Wife who are from Appleton – so it begs the question what does she know about the local people – people must get behind the local man off Dorchester Rd Jim Regan
I understand that the Labour person in Whittle Hall is a Banker – hmmm Natwest I understand – who can trust a banker??????
Has anyone set up an on-line poll yet on Warrington Worldwide?
Pay my Way, do you not realise that any references to “trust” are not really going to help your favourites in the elections! Who can trust an Executive board who very publicly make promises that less than 2 minutes later they go behind closed doors and break? Do you really think the people of Warrington are gullible enough to trust these people again? I don’t!
Not yet Cllr Geoff but nothing to stop you or anyone else putting one on. I thought about adding one but couldn’t decide on the question or answers 🙂
I forgot to add…… that it would be very interesting for people to be able to read ALL the election material that is distributed from all parties and candidates from ALL wards in the run up to the elections. Far too often one ward has certain promises and info another has different promises and info depending on who the particular party are targetting. Now how could we do that as they would all have to be scanned and then hosted somewhere… Gary ??? OK so I am just nosey 🙂
Roll on 5th May!!! The prediction of 33 Labour with the rest 24 is a good one and is the result of the way the current coalition have behaved in the Cabinet system of government with a definite spend in favour of South of the Canal. We need to get back to the committee system of control although no one is offering this as it is thought to be too democratic. Who could “trust” them again! I do hope that whoever wins will listen to what the electorate have to say in the future and not go off on an ego trip.
Additionally, I do hope that the REV Steve Parish has enough time to take on these additional responsibilities, if elected. His Parishioners must be very tolerant. Is it no wonder that, in general, our Churches are empty when those in change are unable to give their full attention to the job they have undertaken and spend considerable amounts of time doing other work?
No chance. Only 5% of councillors listen between elections.
I understand that if the Localism Bill goes through Parliament then Councils will be allowed to return to a Committee system if they want. At the moment the law does not allow it. I think I’m right in saying that it was the last Government who stopped the Committee system. Across the country there is a mood in Councils to return to Committees.
get ready to do the “ian marks demise jig”