LevellerLive

There will be a by-election forButleigh and Baltonsborough ward on Thursday, 6 October. The by election follows the death of Cllr Nigel Woollcombe-Adams in July. He’d served as a councillor for 35 years. In paying tribute to his contribution to the council, members across all the political spectrum described him as a ‘perfect gentleman’.

The by election will elect a Mendip District councillor for the remaining 7 months of Mendip’s existence. The area is part of Mendip South in the new unitary set up that will take over from 1 April. And as the Somerset Unitary Council elections have happened we also know that the area will be represented by LibDem Cllrs Claire Sully and Alex Wiltshire from 1 April next year.

You may be wondering “why bother”. After all if the new councillor will only serve 7 months, what is the point. That is a matter of law. The Structural Change Order that created Somerset Council dealth with this point. Up until 30 September, any vacancy must be replaced on the existing councils. After that date they do not take place unless more than a third of the seats on a council are vacant.

So on we must go with the by election.

Anyone wishing to stand in the by-election, must hand their completed nomination papers to the Returning Officer at Mendip District Council from Friday 2 – Friday 9 September. The opening hours will be 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-4pm (excluding Saturday and Sunday).

The election itself will take place on Thursday, 6 October from 7am-10pm. The polling stations will be at Butleigh Village Hall, Baltonsborough Village Hall and West Lydford Village Hall.