Postponed poll update

There are two more ward in which a candidate has died, forcing the postponement of the local elections due on 1 May.

• Flintshire county council: Hope division. Stuart Brown, who was an Independent candidate, has died.

• Newport city council: Bettws ward. Incumbent Labour councillor Edward Delahaye has died.

Hinckley Castle withstands attack

Two byelections on Thursday 24 April showed no change on their previous allegiances. In Hinckley Castle ward of Hinckley and Bosworth borough council, the Liberal Democrats held their seat, while the Conservatives held on to Little Stour and Ashstone ward of Dover district council. Neither authority has elections on 1 May.

Forthcoming byelections

We know of these local authority byelections:

1 May

This is the normal date at which local elections are due to be held. Double and treble vacancies will be dealt with in separate posts. The following are the byelections taking place in authorities which would not otherwise have any elections:

• Abbey division, Cheshire county council, after the resignation of Shirley Harris (Conservative). The winner will serve only until 2009 when the authority is abolished.

• Abbey ward, Dumfries and Galloway council, following the resignation of Bill Hodgson (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Alcombe East ward, West Somerset district council, caused by the resignation of Nick Messara, a Conservative former Mayor. His replacement will serve until 2011.
• Ashington Central ward, Wansbeck district council, following the disqualification of Barry Vasey (Fresh Party). The new councillor serves until 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Brockworth division, Gloucestershire county council, following the resignation of Sean Connors of the Brockworth Residents Group. The new councillor will serve until 2009.
• Brompton ward, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, following the resignation of Margot James. Her replacement will serve until 2010.
• Comeytrowe ward, Taunton Deane district council, following the death of Liberal Democrat former Mayor Tony Floyd. The winner will serve until 2011.
• Flitwick East ward, Mid Bedfordshire district council, after the death of John Watton of the Liberal Democrats. The term ends in 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Greenford Broadway ward, Ealing borough council, after the resignation of Labour councillor and former group leader Sonika Nirwal. Her replacement will have a seat until 2010.
• Hale ward, Barnet borough council, caused by the resignation of Conservative councillor Jane Ellison. The new councillor will serve until 2010.
• Highgate ward, Camden borough council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Paul Barton. The new councillor will serve to 2010.
• Kidlington and Yarnton division, Oxfordshire county council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Maureen Hastings. Her replacement serves until 2009.
• Leftwich and Kingsmead ward, Vale Royal district council, following the resignation of Will Charlton (Conservative). The winner serves until 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Mendip North East division, Somerset county council, caused by the disqualification of Conservative councillor Michael St. John. The new councillor serves to 2009.
• Millwall ward, Tower Hamlets borough council, caused by the resignation of Simon Rouse (Conservative). The winner serves to 2010.
• Newcastle Rural division, Staffordshire county council, caused by the resignation of Robert Edwards (Conservative). The new councillor will serve until 2009.
• Queen’s Park ward, Bournemouth borough council, following the resignation of Conservative Alexander Adams. The new councillor will serve until 2011.
• Romsey division, Cambridgeshire county council, following the resignation of Alice Douglas (Liberal Democrat). The new councillor serves until 2009.
• Sands End ward, Hammersmith and Fulham borough council, following the resignation of Jeanette Bentley (Conservative). The new councillor will serve until 2010.
• Sedgefield ward, Sedgefield borough council also has a vacancy caused by the death of Independent councillor Jim Wayman. The winner will serve until 2009 when the authority is abolished.
• Sweeney and Trefonen ward, Oswestry borough council after the death of Richard Burman (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park ward, Thurrock council, after the resignation of Labour’s Paul Attah. There are elections due in Thurrock this year but this ward was not due to be part of them. The new councillor will serve until 2011.
• Troup ward, Aberdeenshire council, after the death of Mitchell Burnett of the Scottish National Party. The winner will serve until 2011.
• Weavers ward, Tower Hamlets borough council, caused by the resignation of the Liberal Democrat councillor Louise Alexander. Her replacement will serve until 2010.
• Winton East ward, Bournemouth borough council, following the resignation of Conservative Sue Cowley. The new councillor will serve until 2011.

8 May

• Medway council: Rochester South and Horsted ward, following the resignation of John Ward (Conservative) over a controversial post on his blog. His replacement will serve until 2011.

15 May

• Poole borough council: Branksome East ward, following the death of Mary Hillman (Conservative). Her replacement serves to 2011.

29 May

• South Somerset district council: Chard Crimchard ward, following the death of Liberal Democrat Jean Smith. The winner will serve until 2011.

5 June

• Allerdale district council: All Saints ward, caused by the resignation of Stephen Coates (Conservative). His replacement serves until 2011.

• Uttlesford district council: Great Dunmow North, caused by the resignation of Mark Gayler, former Liberal Democrat group and council leader. The new councillor will serve until 2011.

Undated

The Conservatives have vacancies on Somerset county council and Mendip district council caused by the death of Stephen Robinson, who represented Shepton Mallet division on the former and Shepton East ward on the latter. The winner of the Mendip byelection will decide control of the council between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. They also have vacancies on East Sussex county council and Rother district council after the death of Ron Dyason, councillor for Bexhill King Offa division on the county council and Bexhill Collington ward on the latter; on Newark and Sherwood district council after the death of former Newark MP Richard Alexander, on North Tyneside borough council after the resignation of Hugh Jackson over his comments on euthenasia, and on South Norfolk district council after the death of Brian Clark-Taylor.

There are Labour seats vacant in Chorley East ward, Chorley borough council, after the death of Mary Wilson, in Common ward, Stafford borough council, following the death of John Kennedy, in Eckington division, Derbyshire county council, after the death of Derek Featherstone, in Killamarsh West ward of North East Derbyshire district council, following the death of Colin Robinson, in Park ward, Blackpool borough council after the death of Les Kersh, in Upperby ward, Carlisle city council, following the death of June Martlew, and in Wigan West ward, Wigan borough council, after the death of Michael Baines.

Edwinstowe ward, Newark and Sherwood district council, is vacant after the death of John Faben who was its Independent councillor. Unstone ward, North East Derbyshire district council, is vacant following the death of Fred Hopkinson, who was an Independent councillor.

Defection news

Within a few days, three Liberal Democrat councillors in different parts of the country have joined the Conservatives. The most interesting of them is Marc Cranfield-Adams, who is (as Winston Churchill would have it) re-ratting, having first been elected as a Conservative in 2002, but joining the Liberal Democrats in September 2004. He is this year’s Mayor of Richmond-upon-Thames.

Janet Hedges, from Epping Hemnall ward in Epping Forest district council, and Danny Titcombe, from Highbridge ward on Sedgemoor district council, have also joined the Conservatives.

Local elections update

On 1 May there are local elections in many authorities in England and to every seat in Wales. A list of authorities with elections, and the proportion of seats up for election in each, is given here.

Double vacancies

Where a councillor who is not up for election has resigned or died in an authority which is elected by thirds, their replacement can be elected at the same time as the ordinary election for councillors. This is called a ‘double vacancy’. The top-polling candidate gets the four year term, while the second placed candidate gets the shorter term. We have found the following:

Metropolitan boroughs

• Barnsley borough council: Old Town ward. Sandra Birkinshaw (Barnsley Independent Group) resigned from her term ending in 2011.

• Dudley borough council: Sedgley ward. Charles Fraser-Macnamara (Conservative) resigned from his term ending in 2010.
• Gateshead borough council: Low Fell ward. Charles Jevon (Liberal Democrat) resigned from his term ending in 2010.
• Leeds city council: Calverley and Farsley ward. Amanda Carter (Conservative) resigned from his term ending in 2011.
• Liverpool city council: Kirkdale ward. Pat Holleran (Labour) resigned from his term ending in 2011.
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne city council: North Jesmond ward. Tony Rounthwaite (Liberal Democrat) resigned from his term ending in 2010.
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne city council: Parklands ward. David Brook (Liberal Democrat) resigned from his term ending in 2011.
• Sefton borough council: Netherton and Orrell ward. Labour group leader Dave Martin died one year into a term ending in 2011.
• Sheffield city council: Mosborough ward. Samuel Wall (Labour) resigned from his term ending in 2010.
• Sheffield city council: Richmond ward. Elizabeth Naylor (Labour) resigned from her term ending in 2010.
• Trafford borough council: Clifford ward. Andrea Jones (Labour) resigned from her term ending in 2010.
• Wakefield borough council: Hemsworth ward. Wayne Jenkins (Labour) resigned from his term ending in 2011.

Unitary authorities

• Peterborough city council: Walton ward. David Vellam (Liberal Democrat) resigned from a term ending in 2010.

• Slough borough council: Central ward. The election of Eshaq Khan (elected as Conservative) was declared void after postal vote fraud was proved. The term ends in 2011.
• Southampton borough council: Harefield ward. Adrian Johnson (Conservative) resigned from a term ending in 2011.
• Swindon borough council: Dorcan ward. Andrew James (Conservative) resigned from a term ending in 2010.
• Swindon borough council: Parks ward. Barrie Thompson (Labour) resigned from a term ending in 2010.

Non-metropolitan districts

• Adur district council, Churchill ward. Jaynie Sykes-Strudwick (Conservative) resigned from her term ending in 2010.

• Adur district council, Marine ward. Keith Fayers-Morrissey (Independent) resigned from a term ending in 2010.
• Adur district council: Widewater ward. Christine Turner (Conservative) resigned from a term ending in 2010.
• Cannock Chase district council: Hawks Green ward. Reg Butler, former Conservative deputy leader of the council, died one year into a term ending in 2011.
• Castle Point district council: Canvey South ward. Natalie Derby (Canvey Island Independent Party) resigned from her term ending in 2011.
• Cherwell district council: Banbury Hardwick ward. Stuart Robbins (Conservative) resigned for business reasons from a term ending in 2010.
• Epping Forest district council: Loughton Forest ward. Peter House (Loughton Residents Association) resigned from his term ending in 2010.
• Gloucester city council: Barnwood ward. Phil Taylor (elected as a Liberal Democrat, latterly sitting as a Conservative-supporting Independent) resigned from a term ending in 2011.
• Gloucester city council: Barton and Tredworth ward. Carol Francis (Labour) resigned from a term ending in 2010.
• Ipswich borough council: Bixley ward. Bill Wright (Conservative) resigned from his term ending in 2010.
• Ipswich Borough council: Gainsborough ward. Don Edwards (Labour) resigned from his term ending in 2011.
• Rossendale borough council: Whitewell ward. David Hancock (Labour) resigned from a term ending in 2010.
• Rugby borough council: Dunchurch and Knightlow ward. Stuart Davenport (Conservative) resigned from his term ending in 2011.
• Runnymede borough council: Chertsey St. Anne’s ward. Dolsie Clarke (Conservative) resigned from her term ending in 2011.
• Runnymede borough council: Egham Hythe ward. Rebecca Denby (Conservative) resigned in order to stand in Addlestone North ward; the term she gave up ended in 2010.
• Rushmoor district council: St John’s ward. Graham Tucker (Conservative) died one year into a term ending in 2011.
• Waveney borough council: Carlton Colville ward. Ronald Bell (Conservative) resigned from his term ending in 2010.
• Weymouth and Portland borough council: Melcombe Regis ward, after the resignation of Lynne Herbert (Liberal Democrat). The two vacancies have terms ending in 2012 and 2010.

Postponed polls

Where a nominated candidate dies after nomination, the election on 1 May is countermanded and the process restarts in May with a polling date in June. We know of the following postponed polls:

• Carlisle city council: Upperby ward (one member). Les Griffiths of the British National Party has died.

• Gwynedd county council: Bowydd and Rhiw ward (one member0. Incumbent Labour councillor Ernest Williams has died.
• Harlow borough council: Harlow Common ward (one member). The incumbent Labour councillor Greg Peck has died.
• Newport city council: St. Julians ward (three members). Incumbent Liberal Democrat councillor Pat Bull has died.
  

Morland goes Independent

The Morland ward of Eden district council elected an Independent in a byelection on 17 April, taking over a seat previously held by a Conservative. The other byelection saw the Conservatives retaining, for a second time, Stowmarket North and Stowupland division on Suffolk county council.

Forthcoming byelections

We know of these local authority byelections:

24 April

• Hinckley Castle ward, Hinckley and Bosworth borough council, after the death of Tom McClure of the Liberal Democrats. The winner serves until 2011.

• Little Stour and Ashstone ward, Dover borough council, caused by the resignation of Conservative Steve Smee. The term will end in 2011.

1 May

This is the normal date at which local elections are due to be held. Double and treble vacancies will be dealt with in a separate post. The following are the byelections taking place in authorities which would not otherwise have any elections:

• Abbey division, Cheshire county council, after the resignation of Shirley Harris (Conservative). The winner will serve only until 2009 when the authority is abolished.

• Abbey ward, Dumfries and Galloway council, following the resignation of Bill Hodgson (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Alcombe East ward, West Somerset district council, caused by the resignation of Nick Messara, a Conservative former Mayor. His replacement will serve until 2011.
• Ashington Central ward, Wansbeck district council, following the disqualification of Barry Vasey (Fresh Party). The new councillor serves until 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Brompton ward, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, following the resignation of Margot James. Her replacement will serve until 2010.
• Comeytrowe ward, Taunton Deane district council, following the death of Liberal Democrat former Mayor Tony Floyd. The winner will serve until 2011.
• Flitwick East ward, Mid Bedfordshire district council, after the death of John Watton of the Liberal Democrats. The term ends in 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Greenford Broadway ward, Ealing borough council, after the resignation of Labour councillor and former group leader Sonika Nirwal. Her replacement will have a seat until 2010.
• Hale ward, Barnet borough council, caused by the resignation of Conservative councillor Jane Ellison. The new councillor will serve until 2010.
• Highgate ward, Camden borough council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Paul Barton. The new councillor will serve to 2010.
• Kidlington and Yarnton division, Oxfordshire county council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Maureen Hastings. Her replacement serves until 2009.
• Leftwich and Kingsmead ward, Vale Royal district council, following the resignation of Will Charlton (Conservative). The winner serves until 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Mendip North East division, Somerset county council, caused by the disqualification of Conservative councillor Michael St. John. The new councillor serves to 2009.
• Millwall ward, Tower Hamlets borough council, caused by the resignation of Simon Rouse (Conservative). The winner serves to 2010.
• Newcastle Rural division, Staffordshire county council, caused by the resignation of Robert Edwards (Conservative). The new councillor will serve until 2009.
• Queen’s Park ward, Bournemouth borough council, following the resignation of Conservative Alexander Adams. The new councillor will serve until 2011.
• Romsey division, Cambridgeshire county council, following the resignation of Alice Douglas (Liberal Democrat). The new councillor serves until 2009.
• Sands End ward, Hammersmith and Fulham borough council, following the resignation of Jeanette Bentley (Conservative). The new councillor will serve until 2010.
• Sedgefield ward, Sedgefield borough council also has a vacancy caused by the death of Independent councillor Jim Wayman. The winner will serve until 2009 when the authority is abolished.
• Sweeney and Trefonen ward, Oswestry borough council after the death of Richard Burman (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park ward, Thurrock council, after the resignation of Labour’s Paul Attah. There are elections due in Thurrock this year but this ward was not due to be part of them. The new councillor will serve until 2011.
• Troup ward, Aberdeenshire council, after the death of Mitchell Burnett of the Scottish National Party. The winner will serve until 2011.
• Weavers ward, Tower Hamlets borough council, caused by the resignation of the Liberal Democrat councillor Louise Alexander. Her replacement will serve until 2010.
• Winton East ward, Bournemouth borough council, following the resignation of Conservative Sue Cowley. The new councillor will serve until 2011.

8 May

• Medway council: Rochester South and Horsted ward, following the resignation of John Ward (Conservative) over a controversial post on his blog. His replacement will serve until 2011.

15 May

• Poole borough council: Branksome East ward, following the death of Mary Hillman (Conservative). Her replacement serves to 2011.

29 May

• South Somerset district council: Chard Crimchard ward, following the death of Liberal Democrat Jean Smith. The winner will serve until 2011.

5 June

• Allerdale district council: All Saints ward, caused by the resignation of Stephen Coates (Conservative). His replacement serves until 2011.

Undated

The Conservatives have vacancies on Somerset county council and Mendip district council caused by the death of Stephen Robinson, who represented Shepton Mallet division on the former and Shepton East ward on the latter. The winner of the Mendip byelection will decide control of the council between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. They also have vacancies on East Sussex county council and Rother district council after the death of Ron Dyason, councillor for Bexhill King Offa division on the county council and Bexhill Collington ward on the latter; on Newark and Sherwood district council after the death of former Newark MP Richard Alexander, on North Tyneside borough council after the resignation of Hugh Jackson over his comments on euthenasia, and on South Norfolk district council after the death of Brian Clark-Taylor.

There are Labour seats vacant in Chorley East ward, Chorley borough council, after the death of Mary Wilson, in Eckington division, Derbyshire county council, after the death of Derek Featherstone, in Killamarsh West ward of North East Derbyshire district council, following the death of Colin Robinson, and in Wigan West ward, Wigan borough council, after the death of Michael Baines.

Brockworth division, Gloucestershire county council, is vacant following the resignation of Sean Connors of the Brockworth Residents Group. Unstone ward, North East Derbyshire district council, is vacant following the death of Fred Hopkinson, who was an Independent councillor.

Shropshire county councillor goes Conservative

David Gibbon, who was elected as a Liberal Democrat for Much Wenlock division to Shropshire county council in 2005, has joined the Conservatives.

Long delayed byelection goes Lib Dem

The Liberal Democrats won the Holmewood and Heath byelection to North East Derbyshire district council held yesterday, eight months after the seat had been vacated by the death of the incumbent Labour councillor Terry Fisher. The other byelection saw the Conservatives hold on to Old Gore ward, Herefordshire council.

Forthcoming byelections

Here are the local authority byelections coming up:

17 April

• Morland ward, Eden district council, after the death of Derek Jackson (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.

• Stowmarket North and Stowupland division, Suffolk county council after the resignation of Alastair Liddell (Conservative). His replacement, the third councillor to represent the division since the last full council election, will serve until 2009 assuming they do not resign as well.

24 April

• Hinckley Castle ward, Hinckley and Bosworth borough council, after the death of Tom McClure of the Liberal Democrats. The winner serves until 2011.

• Little Stour and Ashstone ward, Dover borough council, caused by the resignation of Conservative Steve Smee. The term will end in 2011.

1 May

This is the normal date at which local elections are due to be held. The following are the byelections taking place in authorities which would not otherwise have any elections:

• Abbey division, Cheshire county council, after the resignation of Shirley Harris (Conservative). The winner will serve only until 2009 when the authority is abolished.

• Abbey ward, Dumfries and Galloway council, following the resignation of Bill Hodgson (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Alcombe East ward, West Somerset district council, caused by the resignation of Nick Messara, a Conservative former Mayor. His replacement will serve until 2011.
• Ashington Central ward, Wansbeck district council, following the disqualification of Barry Vasey (Fresh Party). The new councillor serves until 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Brompton ward, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, following the resignation of Margot James. Her replacement will serve until 2010.
• Canvey South ward, Castle Point district council, after the resignation of Canvey Island Independent Natalie Darby. The winner serves to 2011.
• Comeytrowe ward, Taunton Deane district council, following the death of Liberal Democrat former Mayor Tony Floyd. The winner will serve until 2011.
• Flitwick East ward, Mid Bedfordshire district council, after the death of John Watton of the Liberal Democrats. The term ends in 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Greenford Broadway ward, Ealing borough council, after the resignation of Labour councillor and former group leader Sonika Nirwal. Her replacement will have a seat until 2010.
• Hale ward, Barnet borough council, caused by the resignation of Conservative councillor Jane Ellison. The new councillor will serve until 2010.
• Highgate ward, Camden borough council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Paul Barton. The new councillor will serve to 2010.
• Kidlington and Yarnton division, Oxfordshire county council, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Maureen Hastings. Her replacement serves until 2009.
• Leftwich and Kingsmead ward, Vale Royal district council, following the resignation of Will Charlton (Conservative). The winner serves until 2009 when the authority will be abolished.
• Mendip North East division, Somerset county council, caused by the disqualification of Conservative councillor Michael St. John. The new councillor serves to 2009.
• Millwall ward, Tower Hamlets borough council, caused by the resignation of Simon Rouse (Conservative). The winner serves to 2010.
• Newcastle Rural division, Staffordshire county council, caused by the resignation of Robert Edwards (Conservative). The new councillor will serve until 2009.
• Queen’s Park ward, Bournemouth borough council, following the resignation of Conservative Alexander Adams. The new councillor will serve until 2011.
• Romsey division, Cambridgeshire county council, following the resignation of Alice Douglas (Liberal Democrat). The new councillor serves until 2009.
• Sands End ward, Hammersmith and Fulham borough council, following the resignation of Jeanette Bentley (Conservative). The new councillor will serve until 2010.
• Sedgefield ward, Sedgefield borough council also has a vacancy caused by the death of Independent councillor Jim Wayman. The winner will serve until 2009 when the authority is abolished.
• Sweeney and Trefonen ward, Oswestry borough council after the death of Richard Burman (Conservative). The winner will serve until 2011.
• Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park ward, Thurrock council, after the resignation of Labour’s Paul Attah. There are elections due in Thurrock this year but this ward was not due to be part of them. The new councillor will serve until 2011.
• Troup ward, Aberdeenshire council, after the death of Mitchell Burnett of the Scottish National Party. The winner will serve until 2011.
• Weavers ward, Tower Hamlets borough council, caused by the resignation of the Liberal Democrat councillor Louise Alexander. Her replacement will serve until 2010.
• Winton East ward, Bournemouth borough council, following the resignation of Conservative Sue Cowley. The new councillor will serve until 2011.

The following are the ‘double vacancies’ where the vacancy will be filled in a multi-member election together with the seat that would ordinarily fall vacant this year.

• Cannock Chase district council: Hawks Green ward, vacant after the death of the Conservative deputy leader of the council Reg Butler. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.

• Cherwell district council: Banbury Hardwick ward, caused by the resignation of Stuart Robbins of the Conservative Party for business reasons. There will be a double vacancy in this ward on 1 May; the top polling candidate serves to 2012, the second to 2010.
• Gloucester city council: Barnwood ward, vacant after the resignation of Phil Taylor, who was elected as a Liberal Democrat in 2007 although he was sitting as a Conservative-supporting Independent at the time of his resignation. There will be a double vacancy electing to terms ending in 2012 and 2011. There is also a double vacancy in Barton and Tredworth ward after the resignation of Carol Francis (Labour); the two terms end in 2012 and 2010.
• Leeds city council: Calverley and Farsley ward, following the resignation of Conservative councillor Amanda Carter. The top polling candidate serves to 2012, the next to 2011.
• Liverpool city council, Kirkdale ward, following the resignation of Pat Holleran (Labour). The two terms end in 2012 and 2011.
• Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council: Madeley ward, following the resignation of Labour councillor Ashley Howells. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2010.
• Newcastle-upon-Tyne city council: North Jesmond ward, following the resignation of Tony Rounthwaite, and Parklands ward, following the resignation of David Brook; both are Liberal Democrats. North Jesmond’s two vacancies are to terms ending in 2012 and 2010; Parklands’ are to 2012 and 2011.
• Peterborough city council: Walton ward, caused by the resignation of Liberal Democrat David Vellam. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2010.
• Rossendale borough council: Whitewell ward, vacant after the resignation of Labour’s David Hancock. The two terms end in 2012 and 2010.
• Runnymede borough council: Egham Hythe ward, vacant after the resignation of Rebecca Denby (Conservative) who wishes to stand in Addlestone North ward. The two terms end in 2012 and 2010.
• Rushmoor district council: St John’s ward, vacant after the death of Graham Tucker of the Conservatives. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• Sefton borough council: Netherton and Orrell ward, after the death of Labour group leader Dave Martin. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• Wakefield borough council, Hemsworth ward, following the resignation of Labour councillor Wayne Jenkins. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• West Lancashire district council: Tanhouse ward, after the death of Labour councillor Sally Keegan. There will be a double vacancy to terms ending in 2012 and 2011.
• Weymouth and Portland borough council: Melcombe Regis ward, after the resignation of Lynne Herbert (Liberal Democrat). The two vacancies have terms ending in 2012 and 2010.

8 May

• Medway council: Rochester South and Horsted ward, following the resignation of John Ward (Conservative) over a controversial post on his blog. His replacement will serve until 2011.

15 May

• Poole borough council: Branksome East ward, following the death of Mary Hillman (Conservative). Her replacement serves to 2011.

Undated

The Conservatives have vacancies on Somerset county council and Mendip district council caused by the death of Stephen Robinson, who represented Shepton Mallet division on the former and Shepton East ward on the latter. The winner of the Mendip byelection will decide control of the council between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. They also have vacancies on East Sussex county council and Rother district council after the death of Ron Dyason, councillor for Bexhill King Offa division on the county council and Bexhill Collington ward on the latter.

There are Labour seats vacant in Eckington ward, Derbyshire county council, after the death of Derek Featherstone, and in Killamarsh West ward of North East Derbyshire district council, following the death of Colin Robinson. There will be a postponed poll in the Labour-held ward of Harlow Common, Harlow borough council, after the death of the incumbent Greg Peck after nomination.

The Liberal Democrats have a vacancy in Chard Crimchard ward, South Somerset district council, following the death of Jean Smith.

Brockworth division, Gloucestershire county council, is vacant following the resignation of Sean Connors of the Brockworth Residents Group. Unstone ward, North East Derbyshire district council, is vacant following the death of Fred Hopkinson, who was an Independent councillor.