Four candidates canvassing for votes in byelection
FOUR candidates will be canvassing for votes in next month’s Lampeter byelection.
The closing date for nominations to take on the ward that suddenly lost its long-standing Ceredigion County Council representative Hag Harris just after May’s local elections was Monday, September 12, and the candidates have been announced.
Three of the main political parties have candidates standing and there is one person standing as an independent.
The independent candidate is Lee Cowles from Carway, Kidwelly.
Welsh Liberal Democrat Sandra Louise Jervis, of Llanwnnen, is also standing, along with Ann Bowen Morgan, from Lampeter, for Plaid Cymru, and for Welsh Labour Dinah Mulholland, from Lampeter.
Lampeter residents go to the polls on Thursday, October 6, with the one polling station located in Victoria Hall and open from 7am to 10pm.
The deadline for registering to vote was midnight last night.
Sixteen and 17-year-olds are entitled to vote if eligible.
If you are a Lampeter resident and you want to double check you are registered you can contact the council on electoralservices@ceredigion.gov.uk. You can register online or by calling 01545 570881.
The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm today (Wednesday), and forms can be download from the gov. uk website or call the number above.
Those requiring a proxy vote – when you appoint a trusted person to vote on your behalf – must apply by Wednesday, September 28, via the Electoral Commission website.
First Minister Mark Drakeford and Neath MP Christina Rees visited Lampeter recently to support the launch of Ms Mulholland’s campaign for the byelection.
They met representatives from local food distribution organisations, including Lampeter Food Project, to discuss the cost-of-living crisis and how Lampeter can act collectively to protect vulnerable residents.
They also visited town centre businesses including Becws and the Lampeter Climate Shop.
Becws won the Hag Harris Award for the best stall at this year’s Lampeter Food Festival.
Owen Jones, the proprietor of Becws, spoke to the trio about the difficulties that Lampeter’s retail sector is facing with the rising cost of energy bills.
The Lampeter Climate Shop is a not-for-profit venture set up by Ru Hartwell.
Here Mr Drakeford discussed the impact of climate change with Ru Hartwell, local campaigners and Welsh Labour members.
Ru Hartwell said: “Absolutely brilliant that the First Minister was able to make the time to visit the Lampeter Climate Shop.
“He purchased an upcycled table lamp for £5, thereby saving it from landfill and funding the planting of 25 climate cooling trees with poor farmers in Kenya.”