The County and Town Council elections are on Thursday 1st May. There are two wards on Durham County Council, Aycliffe North and Middridge (11 candidates for 2 seats), and Aycliffe South (14 candidates for 3 seats).
Both County Wards are very highly contested:
Aycliffe North & Middridge 11 candidates for 2 seats
Lindsey Aston (Lib Dem), Tony Beddard (Independent*), Dorothy Bowman (Independent*), Luke Ellis (Labour), Timothy McGuinness (Reform UK), Michael Murphy (Labour), Jonathan Park (The Green Party), Michael Stead (Lib Dem), Tony Stubbs (Conservative), David Sutton-Lloyd (Conservative), Clive Taylor-Scholl (Reform UK).
Aycliffe South 14 candidates for 3 seats
Tunde Akinsanya (Lib Dem), Tony Armstrong (Independent*), Martin Ashcroft (Independent*), Jim Atkinson (Labour), Nicole Brown (Reform UK), John Clark (Labour), Neale Cooley (The Green Party), John Grant (Reform UK), George Gray (Independent), Paul Howell (Conservative), Olutoyin Ogunyemi (Labour), Kyle Robinson (Lib Dem), Ken Robson (Independent*), John Woodward (Lib Dem).
On Great Aycliffe Town Council – 30 members, 7 of the 8 Wards are all elected uncontested, only one ward, Shafto/St. Mary’s is contested.
Great Aycliffe Town Council Wards:
Aycliffe Central 3 members, unopposed
Jacci Beddard (Independent), Luke Ellis (Labour), Richie Hutchinson (Independent).
Aycliffe Village 1 member, unopposed
Carl Robinson (Independent).
Byerley Park, Horndale & Cobblers Hall
6 members, 5 unopposed, 1 vacancy
Dorothy Bowman (Independent), Jordan Gill (Lib Dem), Jackie McFadden (Independent), Anne Woodward (Lib Dem), John Woodward (Lib Dem).
Neville Ward 2 members, unopposed
Tony Beddard (Independent), Phill Hawkins (Independent).
Shafto/St. Mary’s 4 members, contested
Tunde Akinsanya (Lib Dem), Tony Armstrong (Independent*), John Clark (Labour), Brian Haigh (Independent*), Kyle Robinson (Lib Dem).
Simpasture 2 members, unopposed
Andy Hill (Independent), Brian Sowerby (Independent).
West Ward 6 members, 5 unopposed, 1 vacancy
Martin Ashcroft (Independent), Arun M Chandran (Independent), George Gray (Independent), Ken Robson (Independent), Tracey Williams (Independent).
Woodham Ward 6 members, 5 unopposed, 1 vacancy
Lindsey Aston (Lib Dem), Neil Collinson (Independent), Lisa Connors (Independent), Sandra Kirby (Lib Dem), John Moore (Independent), Michael Stead (Lib Dem).
So, Great Aycliffe Town Council falls to Independent control with the following having been duly elected:
17 Independents, 1 Labour, 6 Liberal Democrats.
Four seats still to be decided in the Shafto/St. Mary’s Ward and two vacancies to be filled after 1st May, either by by-elections or co-option (if co-option becomes necessary, then those co-opted, by law, cannot receive a councillors allowance).
*The Independents group of councillors regularly work as a team, and have provided stability and progress for the last four years. No cuts to services and facilities, no financial black holes. We do not operate a group whip, unlike other political groups, we trust and respect each others opinions, knowledge and experience. Each member is allowed to speak and vote freely in the council chamber putting you, the community, first and foremost. I urge you, for the County Council Wards and Shafto/St. Mary’s Ward for Town Council, to vote Independent, you know it makes sense.
Cllr Arun M Chandran.