Candidates for by-election announced

Candidates have been announced for a Peterborough City Council by-election.

Former cabinet member for waste and street scene Gavin Elsey, who lost his seat in May’s local elections, is seeking a return to the council through the vacant Orton Longueville seat which needs filling following the resignation of Conservative member June Bull for health reasons.

Mr Elsey, who is also a member of the Conservative Party, previously represented Orton Waterville on the council, and should he win the by-election on Thursday, August 2 it would given his party a majority on the authority.

Standing against Mr Elsey is local teacher Heather Skibsted who stood previously in the same ward in the May election for Labour, coming second by 120 votes to Cllr Irene Walsh.

The third candidate announced so far is Orton Waterville and Orton Longueville parish councillor Alex Airey who will hope to become the second Green Party representative on the city council.

UKIP, meanwhile, is putting up its Peterborough chairman Graham Whitehead. Orton Longeville currently has two Conservative councillors - Cllr Walsh and Cllr Graham Casey.