SCORES of parish council candidates have been returned unopposed as a result of no contests in more than 60 parishes.

In some there were insufficient candidates nominated, which will result in the parish authorities having to co-opt members.

However, there will be elections at Habton where seven candidates will be fighting for five places: Paul Andrews, Carole Easton, Gill Pycock, Keith Richardson, John Sellers and Nicholas Spink.

The two Rosedale parishes, East Side and West Side, will also be going to the polls.

In the East Side line-up for five seats, will be Henry Brown, Ena Dent, Angela Gage, Neil Hannah, Ruth Hannah, Kate Jones, and Jon Zigmond, while in the West Side the candidates seeking one of the five seats will be Susan Austermuhle, Linda Blackburne, Neil Hannah, Kate Jones, June Scarth, Maisie Storey and Jon Zigmond.

Scagglethorpe’s line-up for seven seats will be David Ackroyd, Stuart Bogg, Maureen Danby-Smith, Paul Douthwaite, Ben Harris, Paul Prichard, Ann Smith and Nancy Wilson, and in Hovingham there will be seven candidates for five seats – Ian Battersby, Margaret Bell, Phil Chapman, Kenneth Harrison, Alick James, Robert Wainwright and Mark Wilson.

Other polls are as follows: Wombleton (five seats): Robin Colley, Barrie Grice, Peter Lerew, Alison Oliver, Sue Sharples and Shirley Turnbull.

Rillington (11 seats): Susan Butler, Kevin Crick, Richard Etherington, Roland Hill, Philip Hodgson, Brian Maud, Neil Simpson, Julia Skinner, Clint Stockill-Owston, Julie Stonehouse, Paul Taylor and Richard White.

Sinnington (five seats): Roger Hudson, Graham Love, Alison Mitchell, Les Scaling, Thomas Scaling, Raymond Selby and Ruth Wass Allerston (five seats): Graham Blunt, Will Dunnett, David Hunter, Keith Stead, Samantha Turnbull and Alan Watson.

Wilton (three seats): Richard Davies, John Dunning, Michael Hargreaves and Sam Howarth.

In the market towns there are no elections in Helmsley where councillors Jane Barker, John Buffoni, Ken Claridge, Jane Duncombe and Martin Vander Weyer have been returned, along with two new members, former Ryedale councillor Chris Parkin and Philip Pearce.

There will be no election in Pickering’s West Ward where Joy Andrews, Brian Baker, Charles Downes, Margaret Lowe, William Oxley and Natalie Warriner have been returned without a fight. There will be a poll in East Ward.

Malton town council has no election with existing members Paul Andrews, Michael Beckett, Martin Dales, Jason Fitzgerald-Smith, Ann Hopkinson, Mike Knaggs, Joan Lawrence and David Lloyd-Williams are returned along with new member, Adrian Wilford.

In Kirkbymoorside, mayor Coun Gaynor de Barr has stepped down along with fellow councillor Munro Donald. Existing councillors Martin Brampton, Joseph Coughlan, Christine Dowie and Sarah Ward are joined by three new members, Judith Watson, Donna Marsden and Angus Alexander.

There will be also be no contests in the following parishes: Aislaby, Amotherby, Ampleforth, Appleton-le-Moors, Barton-le-Willows, Great and Little Barugh, Beadlam, Birdsall, Bulmer, Burythorpe, Byland-with-Wass, Coulton, Crambe, Cropton, Ebberston and Yedingham (Bickley and Ebberston Wards) Flaxton, Foston, Foxholes, Fryton, Ganton, Gate Helmsley, Gilling East, Grimstone, Harome, Hawnby, Heslerton (East and West wards) Hutton-le-Hole, Huttons Ambo, Kirby Grindalythe, Kirby Misperton, Leavening, Lillings Ambo, Lockton, Luttons, Middleton, Nawton, Newton-upon-Rawcliffe, Nunnington, Oldstead, Sand Hutton, Scackleton, Scampston, Scrayingham, Settrington, Sherburn, Sheriff Hutton, Slingsby, South Holme, Stape, Swinton, Terrington, Thixendale, Thornton-le-Dale, Thornton-le-Clay, Upper Helmsley, Warthill, Weaverthorpe, Welburn, (York), Westow, Wharram, Whitwell-on-the-Hill, Willerby (Staxton).