July 9, 2018 4.55 pm This story is over 76 months old

By-election to be held in North East Lincolnshire

The date for the by-election has been set

A North East Lincolnshire by-election will be held for the Freshney ward in the borough following the resignation of a local councillor.

The election will take place on July 26 following the resignation of Labour ouncillor Ray Sutton.

Mr Sutton resigned from his seat at the end of May as he is moving out of the borough to be closer to family.

It comes as no party commanded overall control of the council at the local elections on May 3.

However, the Labour group on North East Lincolnshire Council announced a confidence and supply arrangement with the Liberal Democrats to set up a minority-led authority.

In a joint statement, Labour leader Ray Oxby and Liberal Democrat leader Ian Barfield said that the parties will work on behalf of local residents on key issues.

This means that should the Conservatives win the by-election in Freshney, they would become the largest party but still command no overall control of the council.

The ward will remain a Labour seat until the by-election is held.

Currently, Labour hold 19 seats on the authority, Conservatives have 18, four Liberal Democrats and one independent councillor.

UKIP lost all of its seats at the local elections.

The candidates for the Freehney ward by-election are as follows:

  • Loyd Layton Emmerson – Green Party
  • Barry Charles Fisher – UK Independence Party
  • Steve Holland – Conservatives
  • Mick Kiff – Independent
  • Sheldon James Mill – Labour Party

The winning candidate will remain in place until the end of the term of office in May 2019.

The deadline to register to vote in the by-election is midnight on Tuesday, July 10 – you can register to vote here.