[A] total of 180 candidates will be contesting the district council elections in South Lakeland on 3 May.
The Statement of Persons Nominated has today (9 April) been published, listing all the candidates that will be hoping to gain one of the 51 seats available on South Lakeland District Council (SLDC).
These elections see the implementation of the electoral changes order following a Local Government Boundary Commission electoral review of South Lakeland, which has led to new ward boundaries coming into effect at the May elections.
The changes will ensure that each ward best reflects the interests and identity of the local community and that each councillor represents approximately the same number of electors.
The district council currently consists of 51 members and this number will not change. However, the number of wards has reduced from 45 to 18, each represented by either two or three councillors.
To set up these new wards, all 51 seats on the council will be contested this year.
The Conservative Party is fielding 51 candidates, the Liberal Democrats 48, Green Party 43, Labour 37 and there is one candidate standing as an Independent.
A full list of candidates in each of the new wards is available on SLDC’s website: https://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/voting-and-elections/elections/district-council-elections-2018/
Due to the electoral review and new ward structure, voters may notice a number of differences during this district council election, including changes to the location of polling stations, particularly in Oxenholme and Ulverston.
Following an interim review of polling stations, electors in the polling district of BR (Oxenholme and parts of Kendal, including Strawberry Fields) will now vote at a new polling station at the Lake District National Park Authority at Murley Moss. They will no longer need to travel to the polling station at Natland Village Hall, although Natland residents will still go to Natland Village Hall.
Electors who normally go to the Coronation Hall in Ulverston (polling district UI) are this year going to St Mary of Furness Catholic Church Hall.
Electors who last year went to the Free Grace Baptist Church in Ulverston (polling district UE) are this year going to Ulverston Children’s Centre on Lund Terrace.
A handful of other electors will also have changed polling station due to the polling district review and all voters are being advised to check their polling card carefully, as it will tell them exactly where they need to go.
Other changes that voters may notice as a result of the this year’s electoral review include:
- It is likely that the ward name on the polling card has changed
- The ballot paper may be longer, as there will be more candidates to choose from and voters will be able to choose more than one of them depending on how many members are in the ward. Voters are therefore advised to read their ballot paper carefully for instructions
- Voters will be voting at the same time as everyone else in the district, as all 51 seats are up for election
To find out more information about the new boundaries visit: www.southlakeland.gov.uk/Elections2018
There are town council elections in Kendal, with all 10 wards contested. There will also be a by-election in Ulverston East for Ulverston Town Council.
Some parish councils were due to have elections but had fewer nominations than seats on the council and therefore will not be contested. This happened in:
- Dent Parish Council
- Garsdale Parish Council
- Natland Parish Council
- Sedbergh Parish Council
The Statement of Persons Nominated for these elections has also been published and the list of candidates can be found at: https://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/voting-and-elections/elections/parish-council-elections-2018/
