THE BATTLE for the control of the Guildhall was set into motion after the list of candidates for May’s Worcester City Council elections was revealed.
The Conservatives will be looking to retain their control of the city council which was controversially secured last May following the defection of former Labour councillor Alan Amos.
Elections will be held in 11 wards across the city with the Tories hoping to retain their 17 seats while Labour will be looking to seize control and build on their 15 seats.
Liberal Democrats will be looking to retain their seat in Claines while the Green Party will hope to emulate their historic success of 2012 when Coun Neil Laurenson became the first Green councillor in the city’s history.
Labour’s George Squires will face challenges from Susan Avery (Green Party), UKIPs Robert Menzies and the Conservative Party’s Will Pryce for his Arboretum seat.
Current City Council Deputy Leader Marc Bayliss will hope to retain his Bedwardine seat for the Conservatives but will be up against the Green Party’s David Barlow, Owen Cleary from UKIP and Peter McNally (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition).
Mike Mullins from the Liberal Democrats, Gaynor Pritchard (Labour) and the British National Party’s Jennifer Whitwam complete a packed list of candidates.
All eyes are sure to be on the Cathedral ward where Allah Ditta will bid to retain his seat for the Conservative Party against Hazel Finch from UKIP, Jane Moorhouse from the Green Party, Andy Morgan (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition), Andrew North of the British National Party and Labour’s Adam Scott.
Mel Allcott will be bidding to retain the Liberal Democrats seat in Claines against Labour’s Tracey Biggs, Andrew Newman from UKIP, Peter Robinson (Green Party) and the Conservative candidate Andy Stafford.
Labour’s Simon Cronin faces challenges in Nunnery from Carl Mason (British National Party), Jenna Mitchell (Conservative), Barbara Mitra (Green Party) and UKIP’s Harold Streets.
The Conservative’s Chris Mitchell will bid to hold on to his St Clement seat in the vote on May 7 against Richard Delingpole from UKIP, Peter Nielsen of the Green Party and Labour’s Jordan Powell.
St John’s will see Labour’s Richard Udall tackle Majory Bisset (Green), Mark Davies (Trade Unionists and Socialists against Cuts), Irene Deamer from the Conservatives, Alan Draper from the British National Party and James Goad from UKIP.
Deputy Mayor of Worcester Roger Knight will bid to retain his St Peter’s Parish seat for the Conservatives against Labour’s Barbara Dunn, Paul Hickling from UKIP and Nicola Porter from the Green Party.
In St Stephen, Gareth Jones will hope to retain his seat for the Conservatives against UKIPs David Carney, Independent Krister Halvorsen, Saiful Islam of Labour and the Green’s Neal Murphy.
Elections will also be held in Warndon Parish North and South with Alan Feeney hoping to retain Warndon Parish North for the Conservatives.
He will face Jacqueline Burnett from UKIP, Labour’s Christopher Cooper, Paul Snookes from the Green Party.
Meanwhile in Warndon Parish South, Lucy Hodgson will hope to retain the seat for the Conservatives against Paul Boyes from UKIP, Rachel Hall from Labour and Alison Morgan from the Green Party.
CANIDIDATES LIST IN FULL
ARBORETUM
Susan Avery – Green Party
Robert Menzies – UKIP
Will Pryce – Conservative
George Squires – Labour
BEDWARDINE
David Barlow – Green Party
Marc Bayliss – Conservative
Owen Cleary – UKIP
Peter McNally – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Mike Mullins – Liberal Democrat
Gaynor Pritchard – Labour
Jennifer Whitwam – British National Party
CATHEDRAL
Allah Ditta – Conservative
Hazel Finch – UKIP
Jane Moorhouse – Green Party
Andy Morgan – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Andrew North – British National Party
Adam Scott – Labour
CLAINES
Mel Allcott – Liberal Democrats
Tracey Biggs – Labour
Andrew Newman – UKIP
Peter Robinson – Green Party
Andy Stafford – Conservative
NUNNERY
Simon Cronin – Labour
Carl Mason – British National Party
Jenna Mitchell – Conservative
Barbara Mitra – Green Party
Harold Streets – UKIP
ST CLEMENT
Richard Delingpole – UKIP
Chris Mitchell – Conservative
Peter Nielsen – Green Party
Jordan Powell – Labour
ST JOHN
Majory Bisset – Green Party
Mark Davies – Trade Union and Socialists Against Cuts
Irene Deamer – Conservative
Alan Draper – British National Party
James Goad – UKIP
Richard Udall – Labour and Co-Operative
ST PETER’S PARISH
Barbara Dunn – Labour
Paul Hickling – UKIP
Roger Knight – Conservative
Nicola Porter – Green Party
ST STEPHEN
Paul Carney – UKIP
Krister Halvorsen – Independent
Saiful Islam – Labour
Gareth Jones – Conservative
Neal Murphy – Green Party
WARNDON PARISH NORTH
Jacqueline Burnett – UKIP
Christopher Cooper – Labour
Alan Feeney – Conservative
Paul Snookes – Green Party
WARNDON PARISH SOUTH
Paul Boyes – UKIP
Rachel Hall – Labour
Lucy Hodgson – Conservative
Alison Morgan – Green Party
