Tension builds for May elections
THE ruling Conservative Party will be waiting with bated breath to see if a turbulent few months will impact on its comfortable majority at Waveney District Council when 17 seats are contested on Thursday, May 1.
THE ruling Conservative Party will be waiting with bated breath to see if a turbulent few months will impact on its comfortable majority at Waveney District Council when 17 seats are contested on Thursday, May 1.
A series of poor reports by Audit Commission led to the departure of former chief executive Glen Garrod before Christmas.
St Edmundsbury council boss Deborah Cadman was brought in to steady the ship and now Waveney has entered a new era by launching a new partnership with Suffolk Coastal District Council, which involves sharing chief executive Stephen Baker. The issue of the future of local government is sure to be a hot topic with calls for joint Yarmouth and Waveney council - Yartoft - polarising political opinion.
The Tories are vehemently against the idea, which has gained widespread support from Labour.
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The council will bid farewell to one of its most high profile members, Labour leader Sally Spore, who is stepping down.
However, her husband, Martyn Spore, could maintain the family ties at Waveney if he is successful in the Carlton ward.
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The decision by former Lib Dem group leader David Young to start a new life in France means a new councillor will take over his seat in Kirkley, which has been vacant for the past few months.
Meanwhile, the Green Party, which saw its first candidate elected to the council last year, will be hoping to build on that success and has candidates standing in every ward.
A third of the council is up for election next month and voters in Carlton Colville will pick two new councillors after the decision by Ron Bell to step down.
The UK Independence Party has five candidates.
Current council make up: Conservative 30, Labour 11, Lib Dem 2, Independent 2, Green 1, vacancies 2.
