Local elections are now just under a month away and the race in many areas has started to heat up.
Local elections are due to take place across Lincolnshire on May 4 and will see all the district councils along with North and North East Lincolnshire holding a vote.
Lincolnshire County Council will not be taking part this year, with its next election due in 2025.
On Wednesday, lists of candidates were confirmed by each of the authorities and we’ve rounded up the lists for you, wherever you live.
This year’s election will also be the first to introduce mandated to have specific photo ID for voting.
Residents can take passports, drivers licenses, buss passes or blue badges among the options, alongside their poll card. They can also acquire a special Voter Authority Certificate free of charge. For a full list and more information visit www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID
Below is a round up of some of the key stories from this year’s election:
Lincoln
The City of Lincoln council will be putting a third of its 33 seats up for grabs – one seat for each ward.
The council is currently made up of 22 Labour, nine Conservatives and two Liberal Democrats.
The vote will decide the fate of 10 Labour seats and one Conservative meaning that potentially, if the Tories took seven seats from Labour, they could take control of the authority.
Meanwhile, the Conservatives don’t stand to lose much, although the group’s leader is the one defending his seat.
The Liberal Democrats in particular though could be looking to call Bingo on Abbey ward.
Mayor of Lincoln Rosie Kirk has already confirmed she will be stepping down for these elections after a decade of being a councillor. Who takes her Birchwood seat is anyone’s guess.
West Lindsey District Council’s elections will include all of its 36 councillors across 20 wards.
The council is currently made up of 16 Conservatives, two Gainsborough independents, one Independent (all of whom are aligned to form the leading West Lindsey Administration Group,), along with 13 Liberal Democrats, two Lincolnshire Independents and two independents unaligned members.
The numbers mean there is no overall control of the authority and so only a few seats from either side could swing it either way.
Due to insufficient nominations made to contest the number of seats in the Kelsey Wold Ward, Councillor Peter Morris (Conservative) will officially be re-elected as district councillor uncontested.
North Kesteven District Council has a total of 43 seats are up for grabs this year across 24 of its electoral wards.
Due insufficient nominations made to contest the number of seats, there are three wards where there will be no election to select the District Councillor.
Therefore the following candidates will be elected:
Billinghay Rural – Sarah Lawrence (Cons) and Gill Ogden (Cons)
Cranwell, Leasingham & Wilsford – Jim Clarke (Independent) and Andrew Hagues (Cons)
The authority has no overall control but is led by a group of 28 known as the North Kesteven Administration Group.
The current political make-up of councillors as they were elected includes 21 Conservatives, 14 Lincolnshire Independents and six Independents, while the NK Admin group consists of the Conservatives, five members of a further NK Independents group and two Independent members.
Lincolnshire Independents have been fighting to make a dent in the county in a number of recent elections – could this be their year?
Spanning across 30 wards, all of South Kesteven’s 56 seats will be up for election.
The district council is currently made up of 36 Conservative councillors, alongside three AllianceSK members, four Democratic Independents, three Independents, four unaligned Independents, two Labour and Co-operative and three Liberal Democrats.
It could take a massive sweep to knock the Tories from their perch due to the fractured nature of the opposition.
A number of Conservative councillors, including George Chivers, Hannah Westropp, Jane Kingman and Jill Thomas, have all chosen to not to run in this year’s local election.
However, Councillor Rosemary Trollope-Bellew’s has chosen to return to the party after stepping back in January this year.
All of South Holland District Council’s 37 seats will be up for election.
The authority is currently made up of 25 Conservatives, 11 South Holland Independents and Independents and one unspecified councillor.
In order to lose overall control, the Conservatives would need to be defeated in at least seven seats, but with a strong Independent showing, it’s not impossible.
One candidate of note this year includes William Hayes – the son of sitting MP Sir John Hayes – who will be fighting for the Spalding St Mary’s ward.
Councillors not in the candidate list this year include Nigel Pepper (Con), Anthony Cronin (South Holland Independent), Jack Daniel McLean (Ind), Harry Drury (Con), Christine Lawton (Con)
Francis Biggadike and Michael Seymour, formerly Conservatives, will be running as independents this time round, while Councillor Peter Coupland (Con) has given up his Fleet seat for a shot at Sutton Bridge.
Boston Borough Council has 30 seats up for grabs by candidates during this year’s local elections.
The authority is currently led by a Conservative and Independent alliance, with Tories holding 14 seats.
Alongside this there are five unspecified independents, four members of the Independent 20/20 group, four members of the W, H and A Independents and two Labour members.
One group hoping to make a dent this year are the Boston Independents. Led by Councillors Anne Dorrian and Brian Rush the group has put forward 24 candidates. They include Lina Savickiene – the mother of nine-year-old Lilia Valutyte who was stabbed as she played in a Boston street.
The district has a history of no overall control and was once led by an Independent group, though has been Conservative since 2015, so it could go either way.
Those not in the running this year include Councillors Alan Bell (Lab), Michael Cooper (Ind), David Brown (Con), Nigel Welton (Con), Martin Howard (Ind), Paul Goodale (Lab), George Cornah (Con) and Vivan Edge (unaligned).
Councillor Tracey Abbott is also making a bid for the Kirton and Frampton ward, rather than her current Wyberton seat.
There are 55 seats available to potential candidates in East Lindsey district council.
The council is currently made up of 31 Conservatives against eight Independent, six Labour, six Skegness Urban District Society members, two District Independent/Liberal Democrats and two unaligned councillors.
It’s going to be a tough challenge for anyone looking to replace the Conservative leadership – not impossible, but there would need to be a seismic shift in electorate.
Eight of the district’s wards will go uncontested this year, for a total of 13 seats split between 10 conservatives, two independents, and a Liberal Democrat. The pre-election result means the Tories already have just under a third of their existing seats filled.
They include:
Coningsby and Mareham’s three seats which were filled by Conservatives Martin Foster, Alex Hall and James Knowles
Croft which has been taken by Conservative Sid Dennis
Fulstow which has been taken by Independent Edward Mossop
Halton Holegate which has been taken by Conservative Terry Taylor
Horncastle’s three seats which were filled by Conservative Richard Avison, Independent Sandra Campbell-Wardman and Liberal Democrat Fiona Martin
Roughton which was taken by Conservative William Gray
Sibsey and Stickney’s two seats which were filled by Conservatives Tom Ashton and Neil Jones
Wainfleet which was filled by Conservative Wendy Bowkett.
Councillors Stan Avison (Con), Dr Graham Williams (Con), Tony Howard (Lab), Sarah Parkin (Ind), Chris Green (Con) have not run this year.
North East Lincolnshire Council will also put a third of its 42 seats up for grabs – one seat per ward. The current composition of the authority is 30 Conservatives against eight Labour, three Liberal Democrats and one Independent.
In this year’s election 10 Conservatives, four Labour and one Liberal Democrat defending their seats. Amongst them are Conservative council leader Philip Jackson and Labour opposition leader Matt Patrick.
Given that even if Labour took all the seats available they would only be left with 19 and the Conservatives left with 20, there is unlikely to be any major shifts in party control.
However, there is a risk of either leader losing their seat as well as the authority being left with no overall control.
Councillors not running this year look to be Tom Furneaux (Con) and Marie Green (Lab).
Christine Vickers, the daughter of Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers, is running in the Sidney Sussex ward.
North Lincolnshire’s 43 seats are all for the taking in May.
The ruling Conservatives currently hold 28 of the authority’s seats, with Labour taking up 14 and an Independent taking the last one.
Some former Labour members will going against their old parties, including Councillor Davie Oldfield in the Burringham and Gunness ward, who was previously investigated by his colleagues regarding accusations of anti-Semitism.
Elsewhere, former Labour group leader Mark Kirk will be taking an unaligned swing at the Crosby and Park Unitary Ward.
Historically Conservatives have been the dominant force in North Lincolnshire, meaning control of the council looks unlikely to change.
Conservative Councillor Jonathan Evison – now the Humberside Police and Crime Commissioner – will not be running again.
Others not standing this time round include Councillors Ron Alcock (Con), Sandra Bainbridge (Lab), Stuart Wilson (Lab) and John England (Con).
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The 2024 Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are now open for nominations, seeking to spotlight outstanding businesses within the Greater Lincolnshire area.
Hosted by Stonebow Media, the publisher behind The Lincolnite and the MyLocal platform, this prestigious event is designed to honour the achievements of the regional business community.
Thanks to the headline sponsorship from the University of Lincoln Enterprise & Research department, the Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards are a unique opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of local enterprises.
The awards are also sponsored by Ringrose Law, Duncan & Toplis, Sills & Betteridge and Pearson Hydraulics. A small number of sponsorship opportunities remain available. Contact [email protected] to discuss partnerships.
Businesses can nominate themselves across eleven awards categories:
The deadline for nominations is May 24, with the judges’ deliberation lunch set for May 29.The judging panel includes business experts and professionals from Lincolnshire and event sponsors.
The Lincolnshire Business Excellence Awards 2024 gala will take place at the Engine Shed on July 12, 2024.
Enhance profile & credibility: Securing an award or being shortlisted acts as a powerful endorsement, signaling trustworthiness to potential customers and helping to distinguish your business from competitors. Displaying the award on your communications can significantly boost your brand’s perception.
Insightful focus & feedback: The application process encourages deep reflection on your business strategy and direction, offering invaluable feedback and clarity, even for new ventures.
Team confidence boost: Recognition from the awards can significantly uplift your team’s morale, affirming the value and potential of your business in the eyes of industry experts.
Marketing & PR boost: Being associated with the awards, even as a nominee, can enhance brand visibility, providing ample content opportunities for social media and other marketing channels.
Networking opportunities: The awards connect you with local business leaders and experts, offering a platform to seek advice, share ideas, and foster future partnerships. The ceremony itself is an excellent occasion for networking with peers and celebrating mutual successes.
Potential to win: Entering offers a chance to win and gain all the associated benefits, but even without taking home a trophy, the process can yield significant advantages for your business.
A Lady Gaga loving kitten owned by a couple who run a charity for disabled pets featured on Channel 5’s The Pet Psychic.
Pet Psychic Beth Lee-Crowther comes to the aid of pet owners and in Tuesday night’s episode she met Cookie the kitten, a depressed camel, and looked at whether a dog can predict the future.
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