THE CANDIDATES for Wychavon District Council’s election on May 7 have been revealed with the Conservative Party hoping to retain their dominant control.
The Tories currently hold 36 of the 45 seats on the District Council with five Liberal Democrats, one Labour councillor and one non-aligned councillor.
Seats in areas across Evesham and Pershore will be contested including in Badsey which has been vacant since the passing of respected former councillor Reg Jakeman last year.
Fellow town councillor Mark Goodge will be bidding to retain the seat for the Conservatives against Mary Campbell and UKIPs Tony Haugh.
Two seats will be up for grabs in Bengeworth with sitting councillors Emma Stokes hoping to retain one of those on offer.
UKIPs Jeremy Farrow, Martin King (Conservative) and Christopher Wilson (Green Party) will also be on the ballot.
Liberal Democrat Keith Wright will hope to retain his Bretforton and Offenham seat when he faces David Ernest of the Conservative Party.
A pair of seats will be up for grabs in Broadway and Wickamford with current councillor Liz Eyre hoping to retain her role.
Baron Fullstop of the Official Monster Raving Loony Party, Bradley Thomas (Conservative) and the Green Party’s Liam Wilson will also be on the ballot.
Eckington’s Conservative councillor Ron Davis (Conservative) will aim to retain his seat against Labour’s Cilla Cameron.
In Evesham North, Conservative Jo Sandalls will hope to retain one of the two seats on offer against Liberal Democrat Tim Haines, UKIPs Richard Keel, Robert Raphael (Conservative) and Colin Tether (Green Party).
A further two seats will be contested in Evesham South between Ken Barclay (Conservative), Jim Bulman (Conservative) and Edward Cohen (Green Party).
Fladbury will return a single district councillor and will see Diana Brown (Liberal Democrats), Julian Eldridge (Green Party) and the Conservative Party’s Michelle English do battle.
John Smith (Conservative) will hope to retain his Great Hampton seat against Ged Bearcroft of UKIP and the Green Party’s Michael Parker.
Meanwhile Charlie Homer (Conservative) will face Sarah Cohen (Green Party) in the battle for the Harvington and Norton seat.
Two councillors will be returned in Little Hampton with UKIPs Peter Long, Conservatives Gerry O’Donnell and Frances Smith and Jonathan Thompson of the Green Party fighting it out.
Pershore will see three councillors elected with Conservative Val Wood and Liberal Democrat Charles Tucker hoping to retain their seats.
Independent David Annis, Peter Brookbank of Labour, Carolyn Harford (Liberal Democrats), Tony Rowley and David Smith of the Conservatives, Jonny Townsend of UKIP and Derrick Watt (Liberal Democrats) will also be on the ballot.
Meanwhile in Pinvin, Liz Tucker (Liberal Democrat) will face Conservative Clive Brooker.
Only 28 of the 32 wards in Wychavon have been contested and among those returned uncontested are Adrian Hardman in
Bredon, Alistair Adams in Honeybourne and Pebworth and Rob Adams in Norton and Harvington.
