Candidates at the ready
THE official starting gun for the county council elections has been fired and 14 candidates will battle it out for four seats in the Great Yarmouth borough.
THE official starting gun for the county council elections has been fired and 14 candidates will battle it out for four seats in the Great Yarmouth borough.
Next month's election could be the last poll of its kind if plans for unitary authorities are given the go-ahead.
The seats in the Yarmouth borough being contested are Nelson and Southtown, Magdalen, Yarmouth North and Central and West Flegg. Councillors who currently hold those seats will be battling to save them on June 4.
In Norfolk, the Conservatives hold 46 seats, with a majority of eight over the opposition - with Labour on 22, the Lib Dems on 14, and the Greens on two.
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In Yarmouth, seats are held between the main parties of Labour and the Conservatives, but the Liberal Democrats, UK Independence Party and British National Party are all fielding candidates.
County councillors are responsible for big ticket services such as schools, roads, care for the elderly, and libraries and an annual budget of around �1bn.
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However, their future remains uncertain after the government ordered a controversial review into local government for one-size-fits all unitaries, which could see the current county and district set-up scrapped.
More than 400,000 people voted in Norfolk four years ago, with the 64pc turnout boosted by the general election, which was held on the same day. This year's contest will take place at the same time as the European parliamentary elections. For this, the UK is divided into 12 regions with seven seats for the East Anglia region.
Political parties fielding candidates are: Animals Count, British National Party; Christian Party “Proclaiming Christ's Lordship”; Conservatives; English Democrats Party; Jury Team; Liberal Democrats; No2EU: Yes To Democracy; Pro Democracy: Libertas.eu; Socialist Labour Party; The Green Party; Labour; UK Independence Party; United Kingdom First; and one Independent candidate.
Nelson and Southtown Division
John Holmes (Lab)*
Rex Parkinson-Hare (UKIP)
Matthew Smith (Con)
Magdalen Division
Patricia Page (Con)
Karl Ruane (UKIP)
Colleen Walker (Lab)*
Yarmouth North and Central Division
Paul Baugh (UKIP)
Thomas Garrod (Con)
Anthony Harris (Lib Dem)
David Rand (BNP)
Michael Taylor (Lab)*
West Flegg Division
Michael Carttiss (Con)
Katie James (Lab)
Pamela Mayhew (Lib Dem)
Key
Lab - Labour
Con - Conservatives
Lib Dem - Liberal Democrats
UKIP - UK Independence Party
BNP - British National Party
* Denotes sitting councillor
