Battle for political control of county nears its climax
AFOUR-WAY by-election battle for control of Northumberland County Council has entered its final stages.
Hexham East county councillor Cath Homer quit the local authority last month, taking with her the county’s ruling Conservative Party’s majority of one.
The town’s former representative stood down citing a campaign of “malicious” abuse against her after she became embroiled in a row over the suspension of the council’s chief executive.
Since then, however, claims have emerged in a report by an external investigator that she may also have breached local authority rules with “inappropriate” behaviour and comments.
Polls are due to open in the contest tomorrow – the same day voters in North Shropshire are due to cast their vote in a Parliamentary byelection triggered by the resignation of sitting MP Owen Paterson in a row over lobbying.
There are four candidates seeking
to replace Cath Homer, including Lib Dem candidate Dr Suzanne FairlessAitken, who was runner-up to Homer in May’s round of local elections.
Also standing is Fairless-Aitken’s colleague on Hexham Town Council Lee Williscroft-Ferris, who has got regeneration and negligent landlords in his sights, should he be successful.
Of the town’s two other council wards, Hexham West and Hexham Central with Acomb, the former is
also represented by an independent councillor, Derek Kennedy, and the latter by Trevor Cessford, a Conservative.
The only candidate who does not already sit on Hexham Town Council is Labour’s Jonathan Wheeler, who is currently a member of Prudhoe Town Council.
While failure in the contest would cost the Conservatives their majority control of the county council chamber, they would remain in charge as the single largest political group.