Where will the power lie? (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Where will the power lie?

10:02am Thursday 6th April 2006 in

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TWENTY district council seats will be under the spotlight at the local elections on Thursday, May 4.

And whatever the outcome on election night changes are guaranteed with three group leaders retiring.

Standing down are former council leader Michael Heavens (Liberal Democrat), Ken Faulkner (Loughton Residents Association) and Joan Davis (Labour).

Other councillors retiring are Len Martin (LibDem, Buckhurst Hill East), Barry Scrutton (Con, Chigwell Village), Fergus Maclaine (Con, Grange Hill) and Leo McKnight (Con, Lower Nazeing).

The Conservatives, who were left four seats short of taking overall control last May, go into this year's election battle needing to win ten of the 20 seats up for grabs to take control for the first time for 12 years.

The Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives are contesting all 20 seats, while the British National Party, which has three seats on the council, is fielding four candidates, in each of the Loughton wards.

Richard Tilbrook, chairman of the English Democrats Party, is standing in Chipping Ongar, Greensted and Marden Ash, where he is up against environmental protection portfolio holder Derek Jacobs (LD), Glyn Pritchard (Con) and Roger McNulty (L).

Buckhurst Hill West, the only ward where two seats are being fought over with the retirement of Michael Heavens, sees a straight contest between two Liberal Democrat and two Tory candidates, with council vice-chairman Ann Haigh (LD) looking to retain her seat.

In Loughton St Mary's ward Mitch Cohen, who held the seat as a Loughton Residents Association councillor, is seeking re-election but standing for the Conservatives following his move from Loughton to Upshire.

Current council make-up: Con 26, Lib Dem 14, LRA 6, Ind 4, Lab 4, BNP 3, Ind Soc 1.

Seats up for grabs: Con 6, Lib Dem 6, LRA 3, Lab 3, Ind Soc 1, Ind 1.

Full list of candidates:

BUCKHURST HILL EAST: George Denny (C), Peter Spencer (LD).

BUCKHURST HILL WEST (two seats): Robert Church (C), Ann Haigh (LD), Carol Taylor (LD), Haluk Ulkun (C).

CHIGWELL VILLAGE: Jeffrey Stollar (LD), Lesley Wagland (C).

CHIPPING ONGAR, GREENSTED AND MARDEN ASH: Derek Jacobs (LD), Roger McNulty (L), Glyn Pritchard (C), Robin Tilbrook (Eng Dem).

EPPING HEMNALL: Paul Handford (L), Brian Rolfe (C), Janet Whitehouse (LD).

EPPING LINDSEY AND THORNWOOD COMMON: Anne Baldwin (L), Matthew Colling (C), Janet Hedges (LD).

GRANGE HILL: Anthony DuVarene (Ind), Mohindra Gagan (C), Alan Lion (LD).

LOUGHTON ALDERTON: Maureen Boatman (L), Rosemary Brookes (LRA), Ben Glassman (C), Rodney Law (BNP), David Robertshaw (LD).

LOUGHTON BROADWAY: Susan Clapp (BNP), Lorne Daniel (C), Thomas Owen (L), Peter Relph (Ind), Peter Sinfield (LD).

LOUGHTON FAIRMEAD: Stephen Barnes (L), James Dean (LRA), Benjamin Murphy (C), Peter Turpin (BNP), Neil Woollcott (LD).

LOUGHTON FOREST: Matthew Daniel (C), Peter House (LRA), Christopher Spence (LD), Marion Taylor (L).

LOUGHTON RODING: Louis Appiah (L), Jacqueline Carne (BNP), Peter Fuller (LD), Valerie Metcalfe (C), Stephen Murray (Ind).

LOUGHTON ST JOHN'S: Jill Bostock (L), Matthew Hayday (C), John Markham (LRA), Teresa Spencer (LD).

LOUGHTON ST MARY'S: Rodney Barrett (LRA), Mitchell Cohen (C), Enid Robinson (LD), Peter Sheen (L).

LOWER NAZEING: Ingrid Black (L), Edgar Borton (Ind), Antoinette Cooper (C), Kelvin Morris (L).

NORTH WEALD BASSETT: John Rumble (LD), David Stallan (C).

THEYDON BOIS: Roland Frankel (LD), Robet Glozier (C), Michael McGough (UKIP).

WALTHAM ABBEY HONEY LANE: Peggy Ayre (LD), Demetrios Demetriou (C), Michael Tobin (Ind).

WALTHAM ABBEY PATERNOSTER: Philip Chadburn (LD), Reginald Chidley (Ind), Liam Conlon (L), John Wyatt (C).

Key: C = Conservative; LD = Liberal Democrat, L = Labour; Eng Dem = English Democrats Party; Ind = Independent; LRA = Loughton Residents Association; BNP = British National Party; UKIP = UK Independence Party.