Warrington goes to the polls

POLLING is taking place today in the Warrington Borough Council elections – the first opportunity for local voters to give their verdict on the political parties for two years.
Nineteen seats are up for grabs – and the controlling Labour group and the Conservatives are contesting all of them.
The Liberal Democrats are fighting 18 seats and there are 14 UKIP candidates, four Green and one independent.
Labour currently have a massive overall majority – 41 seats to the Liberal Democrats’ 12 and the Conservatives’ four, so it would take a swing of monumental proportions to bring about a change in control.
But there are interesting contests in a number of wards.
At Culcheth, Labour’s Matt Smith is attempting to gain a seat from the Conservatives.
Veteran Tory councillor Les Hoyle announced some time ago that he was standing down and has been replaced by former councillor Paul Campbell. Both candidates are already members of Culcheth and Glazebury Parish Council.
At Birchwood, Labour’s executive member for finance Cllr Russ Bowden faces a challenge from both Conservative and Liberal Democrats.
Liberal Democrat councillor Wendy Johnson is defending her seat at Grappenhall and Thelwall against Labour, Conservative and UKIP candidates.
Mayor of Warrington Peter Carey is defending his Fairfield and Howley seat for Labour against Conservative, Liberal Democrat, UKIP and Green opposition.
At Lymm, Liberal Democrat Bob Barr is defending his seat against Conservative, Labour and UKIP opponents.
Counting of the votes will not take place overnight, as in the past. It will start at 9am tomorrow, with the results expected around mid-day.
The full-line-up of candidates is:
Appleton: Andy Davidson (Lab), Pete Kennedy (Green), Jonathan Levy (Cons), Judith Wheeler (Lib Dem).
Bewsey and Whitecross: Mike Foxall (Cons), Bob Timmis (Lib Dem), Pat Wright (Lab)*.
Birchwood: Nigel Balding (Cons), Russ Bowden (Lab)*, Chris Oliver (Lib Dem).
Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft: Paul Campbell (Cons), Merril Cummerson (Lib Dem), Beverley Fairfoull (UKIP), Matt Smith (Lab).
Fairfield and Howley: Helena Campbell (Cons), Peter Carey (Lab)*, Phillip Henshaw (UKIP), Lyndsay McAteer (Green), Margaret Oldbury (Lib Dem).
Grappenhall and Thelwall: Andrew Fairfoull (UKIP), Thomas Jennings (Lab), Wendy Johnson (Lib Dem)*, Stephen Taylor (Cons), Kenneth Wilson (Green).
Great Sankey North: Stephanie Davies (Green), Andy Heaver (Lab), Mal Lingley (UKIP), David McNeilage (Cons), Roy Smith (Lib Dem).
Great Sankey South: Roger Cawthorne (Cons), Hitesh Patel (Lab)*, Kevin Reynolds (Lib Dem).
Latchford East: Timothy Price (Lib Dem), Harish Sharma (Cons), Sid Simmons (UKIP), Steve Wright (Lab)*.
Latchford West: Ged Hall (UKIP), Phil Marshall (Cons), Les Morgan (Lab), Ann Raymond (Lib Dem), Michael Smith (Green).
Lymm: James Ashington (UKIP), Bob Barr (Lib Dem)*, Kath Buckley (Cons), Sean Chapman (Lab).
Orford: Edgar Davies (Lib Dem), Simone Johnson (Cons), Kerri Morris (Lab), Ian Richards (UKIP).
Penketh and Cuerdley: Sam Baxter (Cons), David Keane (Lab)*, Bev Stein (UKIP).
Poplars and Hulme: Frank Allen (Cons), Iona Gillis (Lib Dem), John Kerr-Brown (Lab)*, Trevor Nicholls (UKIP).
Poulton North: David Bennett (UKIP), Jeff Butler (Lib Dem), Mark Chapman (Cons), Geoff Settle (Lab)*.
Poulton South: Sandra Bradshaw (Lib Dem), Maureen Creaghan (Lab), Michael Johnson (UKIP), Howard Klein (Cons).
Rixton and Woolston: Bill Brinksman (Lab)*, Ben Eccleston (Cons), Diana Grylls (Lib Dem), Geoff Siddall (UKIP).
Westbrook: Derek Clark (UKIP), Matt Jones (Cons), Stefan Krizanac (Lib Dem), Linda Ollerton (Lab).
Whittle Hall: Julian Craddock (Cons), Keith Gleave (Lib Dem)*, Adam Hemsley (Trade Unionists and Socialist Against Cuts), Karen Mundry (Lab).