VOTERS in Worcester will soon be heading to the polls in elections which could affect the make-up of Worcester City Council.
With 13 seats up for grabs at the Guildhall, the Conservatives will be looking to remain the largest party following the poll on Thursday, May 3, with Labour looking to make gains to challenge for the leadership of the council.
One of the keenest battles is sure to be in Cathedral with current Deputy Mayor of Worcester Coun Jabba Riaz facing a challenge from the Conservative Party’s Nida Hassan for the seat which is also being contested by long-serving former Liberal Democrat councillor Ken Carpenter.
Battenhall will be a key seat to watch as current Mayor Coun Steve Mackay looks to retain the seat for the Conservatives against the Green Party’s Louise Griffiths. Victory for the Greens would see them hold both the seats in the ward following Coun Louis Stephen’s election in 2016.
Jenny Barnes will be looking to retain the Gorse Hill seat for Labour which was vacated when former councillor Geoff Williams stood down while Tom Collins faces a similar task for Labour in Rainbow Hill to retain the seat vacated by former city mayor Paul Denham.
Voters in Warndon will elect two councillors with Coun Jo Hodges standing again for Labour alongside colleague Ceri Stalker who will be looking to hold on to the second seat after the resignation of Elaine Williams last month.
A full list of candidates is as follows:
Battenhall
John Butterfield (UKIP)
Louise Griffiths (Green Party)
Saiful Islam (Labour)
Karen Lawrance (Liberal Democrat)
Steve Mackay (Conservative)
Bedwardine
Bill Amos (Conservative)
John Beacham (UKIP)
Daniel Manning (Green Party)
Mike Mullins (Liberal Democrat)
Leisa Taylor (Women’s Equality Party)
Christopher Winwood (Labour)
Cathedral
Ken Carpenter (Liberal Democrat)
Hazel FInch (UKIP)
Nida Hassan (Conservative)
Jabba Riaz (Labour)
Alaric Stephen (Green Party)
Claines
Mel Allcott (Liberal Democrat)
Rachael Baylis (Labour)
Stuart Denlegh-Maxwell (Conservative)
Mark Hulme (UKIP)
Peter Robinson (Green Party)
Gorse Hill
Mohammed Altaf (Conservative)
Jenny Barnes (Labour)
Hannah Cooper (Green Party)
John Francis (UKIP)
Nunnery
Pat Agar (Labour)
Jon Barras (UKIP)
Carl Mason (British Resistance)
Barbara Mitra (Green Party)
Haris Saleem (Conservative)
Rainbow Hill
Marjory Bisset (Green Party)
Dave Carney (UKIP)
Tom Collins (Labour)
Chris Rimell (Conservative)
Jon Taylor (Liberal Democrat)
St Johns
Darrell Butler (Liberal Democrat)
Malcolm Copson (Conservative)
Mark Davies (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Matthew Lamb (Labour)
Chris Lindsay (Green Party)
Rob Menzies (UKIP)
St Peter’s
Lisa Barras (UKIP)
Mike Johnson (Conservative)
Bob Southern (Labour)
Nicky Williams (Green Party)
Warndon
Pam Clayton (Conservative)
Owen Cleary (UKIP)
Jo Hodges (Labour)
Francis Lankester (Conservative)
Alison Morgan (Green Party)
Peter Nielsen (Green Party)
Chris Roberts (UKIP)
Ceri Stalker (Labour)
Warndon Parish North
Paul Boyes (UKIP)
Andrew Cross (Green Party)
James Goad (Libertarian Party)
Andy Graham (Labour)
Stephen Hodgson (Conservative)
Sarah Murray (Liberal Democrat)
Warndon Parish South
Stephen Brohan (Green Party)
Nicholas Jordan (UKIP)
Steve Mather (Liberal Democrat)
Andy Roberts (Conservative)
Ella Young (Labour)