THE race is now on for next month’s election as nominations have officially closed.

The candidates for Ryedale’s district council elections have been announced and in addition to plenty of new candidates, some long-standing councillors have decided to step down.

Edward Legard, who represented the Wolds District for the Conservative Party, is stepping down after 11 years and said it had been “both a pleasure and a privilege” to represent the Wolds District Ward.

In an uncontested result Tharik Jainu-Deen, for the Conservative Party, will represent the Wolds District.

Mr Legard said: “I think Tharik will be an excellent councillor and I wish him every success. It is a shame that more people did not put their names forward, regardless of what party they stand for, because many people in the Wolds will perhaps be denied of the opportunity to choose a councillor and that is a great shame.”

In the only other uncontested result, Councillor Caroline Goodrick, for the Conservative Party, will represent Ryedale South West, instead of Derwent, which she previously represented.

New candidates have put themselves forward to represent Sinnington, including Glyn Wild who will be standing for the first year for the Green Party, Stop Fracking Now.

He said: “I have always been interested in environmental issues and society and with the prospect of fracking in the area I was quite concerned. I thought it was time to stand up.

“Other issues, which I think will be prominent across the local election, are transport, particularly the decline in bus services and how that is going to affect people across Ryedale. I would also like to see more cycling routes around Ryedale and to encourage that.”

Another new local election candidate is Fiona Farnell, who has been on Slingsby Parish Council for the past eight years. She will stand for the first time for the Amotherby Ward and the Conservative Party instead of John Hicks who will not be standing.

She said she thinks the main issues surrounding the local elections will be fracking, jobs and apprenticeships for young people and the state of the county’s roads.

She said: “I decided to stand because I have some free time on my hands and I decided that I wanted to get more involved in the locality.

“I am looking forward to getting out and meeting as many people in the Amotherby ward as possible before the election. I will be knocking on doors to introduce myself and to have a chat with people.”

Tommy Woodward will stand again for the Liberal Party for Pickering East ward despite calls for his resignation last year following controversial remarks he made regarding the suicide of a former soldier.

Luke Richardson, who currently represents Pickering West, is standing for election again but this time for Kirkbymoorside.

The deadline for receiving applications for registering to vote closes on April 20, with the deadline for receiving new postal vote and postal proxy applications the following day at 5pm.

A publication of the final election notice of alteration will be published on Wednesday, April 29, ahead of polling day from 7am to 10pm on Thursday, May 7.

The verification of ballot papers and counting of the votes will begin at 10pm Thursday, May 7, at Malton Community Sports Centre, in Broughton Road.

Polling stations are located at various village halls and community centres across Ryedale.

To find your nearest polling station visit Ryedale.gov.uk

 

Ryedale District: Nominations and wards

Amotherby: (One to be elected) Darren Allanson – Independent, Fiona Farnell – Conservative

Ampleforth: (One to be elected) Jim Bailey – Conservative, Barbara Hickman – Green Party

Cropton: (One to be elected) Lorraine Allanson – Conservative, John Clark – Liberal Party

Dales District: (One to be elected) Janet Frank – Conservative, Nelly Trevelyan – Liberal Party

Derwent District: (Two to be elected) Michael Cleary – Conservative, Phil Evans – Conservative, Stephen Shaw – Independent, Abigail Stokell-Beckett – Lib Dem

Helmsley: (Two to be elected) Steve Arnold – Conservative, George Hawkins – Independent, Erica Rose – Green Party, Snowy Windress – Conservative

Hovingham: (One to be elected) Nicholas Burton – Green Party Stop Fracking Now, Robert Wainwright – Independent

Kirkbymoorside: (Two to be elected) Martin Brampton – Green Party, David Cussons – Conservative, Bob Gardiner – Conservative, Nicky Hollins – Liberal Party, Luke Richardson – Liberal Party, Jill Wells – Labour Party

Malton: (Three to be elected) Paul Andrews – Independent, Peter Ash – UKIP, Lindsay Burr – Independent, Kerry Ennis – Conservative, David Hoggard – Conservative, Ann Hopkinson – Conservative, Ed Jowitt – Independent, Sam Prest – Labour Party, Tim Prest – Labour Party

Norton East: (Two to be elected) Kevin Anderson – UKIP, Keane Duncan – Conservative, Jane Harrison – Conservative, Raymond King - Independent, Ben Mehrtens – Liberal Democrat, Elizabeth Shields – Lib Dem

Norton West: (Two to be elected) Alasdair Clark – The Liberal Party, Chris Cooper – UKIP, Luke Ives – Conservative, Liz Johnson – Conservative, Di Keal – Liberal Democrat, Howard Keal – Liberal Democrat, Philip Mooring – UKIP, Jeremy Powell - Independent, Eddie Thornton – The Liberal Party

Pickering East: (Two to be elected) Joy Andrews – The Liberal Party, Susan Cowan – Independent, Jane Haigh – Liberal Democrat, Charles Hopkinson – Independent, William Oxley – Conservative, Eileen Randall – Labour Party, Tommy Woodward – Liberal Party

Pickering West: (Two to be elected) Linda Cowling – Conservative, Mike Potter – Liberal Party, Geoff Randall – Labour Party, Tim Thornton – Liberal Party

Rillington: (One to be elected) Janice Every – Green Party, Trevor Golding – UKIP, Brian Maud – Independent

Ryedale South West: Caroline Goodrick – Conservative

Sherburn: (One to be elected) Selma Khan – Green Party Stop Fracking Now, John Raper – Conservative, Barry Waite – UKIP

Sheriff Hutton: (One to be elected) Eric Hope – Conservative, Chris Pickles – Independent

Sinnington: (One to be elected) Val Arnold – Conservative, Mike Martin – Labour Party, Glyn Wild – Green Party Stop Fracking Now

Thornton Dale: (Two to be elected) Geoff Acomb – Conservative, Sandra Bell – Green Party Stop Fracking Now, Mick Johnston – Labour Party, Janet Sanderson – Conservative

Wolds: Tharik Jainu-Deen – Conservative