COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

Two former mayors and a ex-council leader have decided not to seek re-election when residents in Nuneaton and Bedworth go to the polls next month.



All 17 wards on the borough authority are being contested on May 22, with Labour set to retain overall control. The party currently has 23 of the 34 seats in the chamber, while the Tories have seven.

Two opposition members, Gerald Smith – who wore the civic chains in 2008-09 – and Peter Gilbey – who was at the helm when the Tories took command for a brief spell six years ago – are both standing down.

Mr Smith said: “After 14 years, I have decided it’s time to take a rest. But I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the council and being mayor was a wonderful honour that I would not have swapped for anything.”

Also leaving the political arena is Bill Sheppard, who was the borough’s chief citizen in 2007-08 but bows out under a cloud after being suspended from the Labour Party for disciplinary reasons two years ago.

It was a decision he stoutly refuted and since then he has been forced to represent Wembrook as an independent.

Looking to take over the vacant ward seat is his daughter Tracy, who will carry the Labour banner alongside her mother Jill, the current member for Abbey.

There will be another new face in Galley Common due to the retirement of Matt Grant, who has been sitting on the Independent benches since quitting the Tory party in protest over the Prime Minister’s stance on gay marriage.

Des O’Brien, leader of the Conservative group and aiming to keep his Bulkington seat, said: “We are going through a few changes in personnel in what is a rebuilding process. But we have some strong candidates and go into the election full of confidence.”

Contesting 11 wards will be UKIP and one of their candidates, in Whitestone, is Alwyn Waine, wife of Tory stalwart and former cabinet councillor John Waine. She is up against Kris Wilson, deputy leader of the Opposition.

Nuneaton & Bedworth candidates

ABBEY

George Clarke (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)

Christopher Eddy (Con)

Neil Phillips (Lab)*

Andrew Saffrey (Green)

Charles Stuart (UKIP)



ARBURY

Andrew Hutchings (UKIP)

Phil Kimberley (BNP)

Jeff Morgan (Con)*

Maggie Morrissey (Green)

Caroline Phillips (Lab)



ATTLEBOROUGH

Alan Baxter (UKIP)

Sophie Bonner (Green)

Martin Heatley (Con)

Sam Margrave (Lab)

Lucy Newman (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)

Stephen Paxton (English Democrats - Putting England First)



BARPOOL

Alwyn Deacon (BNP)

Tricia Elliott (Lab)

Andrew Hammerschmiedt (UKIP)

Neil Pointon (Con)

Paul Reilly (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)



BEDE

Damon Brown (Con)

Yvonne Deacon (BNP)

John Haynes (Lab)*

David Lane (English Democrats - Putting England First)



BULKINGTON

Wendy Beard (UKIP)

Terry Doherty (Lab)

Des O’Brien (Con)*



CAMP HILL

Peter Bradley (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)

Bethan Eddy (Con)

Dennis Harvey (Lab)*

Louis John (UKIP)



EXHALL

Merle Gering (Green)

Natara Hunter (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)

Roger Rowland (Con)

Roma Taylor (Lab)*

Karen Wilson (UKIP)



GALLEY COMMON

Christine Bennett (Lab)

Tony Grant (UKIP)

Page Reilly-Maguire (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)

Phillip Silk-Neilsen (Con)



HEATH

Danny Aldington (Lab)*

Janet Batterbee (Con)

Eileen Hunter (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)



KINGSWOOD

Edward Kay (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts0

Katrina Slomczynski (UKIP)

Hayden Walmsley (Con)

Chris Watkins (Lab)*



POPLAR

Ann Brown (Con)

Bob Copland (Lab)*



SLOUGH

Seb Gran (Con)

Tony Lloyd (Lab)*



ST NICOLAS

Jack Bonner (Lab)

Mick Gee (UKIP)

Michele Kondakor (Green)

Robert Tromans (Con)



WEDDINGTON

Trevor Beard (UKIP)

Jack Bircher (Con)

Ian Bonner (Green)

Brendan McGrath (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)

Sonja Wilson (Lab)



WEMBROOK

Scott Harrison (Ind)

Julie Lewis (UKIP)

Aiden O’Toole (Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts)

Andy Sargeant (Con)

Tracy Sheppard (Lab)

Mike Wright (Green)



WHITESTONE

Richard Chattaway (Lab)

Alwyn Waine (UKIP)

Kris Wilson (Con)*