Cannock Chase local election preview: Almost all seats up for grabs

There are no elections in Hagley and Hednesford South this time around.

Labour currently runs the council under leader George Adamson, who defends his Hednesford Green Heath seat this year, with Tory county councillor Bryan Jones among his opponents

Labour holds 21 of the 41 seats available, giving the party the most slender of majorities.

The Conservatives have 13 seats, the Greens have two, while the Lib Dems and UKIP have one seat each.

There are three independent councillors.

Changes at the Chase

There have been a number of significant developments on the council over the last 12 months.

Hawks Green councillor Martyn Buttery quit his role as UKIP group deputy leader in order to join the Tories last July.

He will contest Heath Hayes East and Wimblebury at these elections.

Etching Hill and The Heath councillor Stephanie Whitehouse made the same move.

And Councillor Maureen Freeman, who represents Cannock South, left Labour to become an independent.

Last year also saw two by-elections in the district.

Labour’s Linda Tait won Hednesford Green Heath from the Tories, a seat which had become available after Joanne Christian had been thrown off the council for failing to attend meetings.

Stuart Crabtree of the Green Party won Hednesford South, the former seat of Conservative group deputy leader Graham Burnett, who died earlier in the year.

Battle grounds

This year Labour is defending six seats, the Tories will defend three, while UKIP, the Lib Dems and an independent candidate will defend one seat each.

The last time this set of seats was contested was in 2014, when the Tories lost four seats – three to UKIP and one to Labour.

In Brereton and Ravenhill, the Lib Dems only councillor Gerald Molineux has stood down.

UKIP councillor Alan Dean has decided to stand down in Heath Hayes East and Wimblebury.

Independent councillor Bill Hardman, formerly of UKIP, who was elected to Rawnsley in 2014, is standing down for health reasons.

He said: “I would like to thank everyone, from the public to my fellow councillors, for their support over the years.I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as a councillor in Rawnsley over the last four years.”

Conservative group leader Councillor Paul Snape, who represents Cannock West, said: “I hope we can make inroads and take some more seats come May 3.”

Labour council leader Councillor George Adamson will defend his Hednesford Green Heath seat this year.

Voter registration in Cannock Chase is now closed.

Visit cannockchasedc.gov.uk for details of polling stations across the district.

Cannock Chase - full list of candidates

* Party holding seat

Brereton and Ravenhill

Paul Fisher (Lib Dem)*

Lorraine Northway (Cons)

Jaqueline Prestwood (Lab)

Sarah Thomas-Dean (UKIP)

Cannock East

Arlette Carmichael (Green)

Muriel Davis (Lab)*

Mick Howes (UKIP)

Johnny McMahon (Cons)

Cannock North

Frank Allen (Lab)*

Peter Kruskonjic (Cons)

Jodie Winter (Green)

Cannock South

John Dawkins (Cons)

Scarlett Ward (Green)

Kev Whittaker (UKIP)

Paul Witton (Lab)*

Cannock West

Edmund Frondigoun (Lab)

Maire Smith (Green)

Hyra Sutton (Cons)*

Etching Hill and The Heath

Pat Ansell (Lib Dem)

Michael Sheridan (Green)

Paul Startin (Cons)*

Jeffrey Winter (Lab)

Hawks Green

Eloise Cropp (Green)

Phil Hewitt (Cons)*

Josh Mills (Lab)

Dave Percox (UKIP)

Heath Hayes East and Wimblebury

Kenny Beardmore (Green)

Les Bullock (Lab)

Martyn Buttery (Cons)

Dave Morris (UKIP)*

Hednesford Green Heath

George Adamson (Lab)*

Marg Dean (UKIP)

Bryan Jones (Cons)

Andrea Muckley (Green)

Ronald Turville (Indep)

Hednesford North

Sheila Cartwright (Lab)*

Mandy Dunnett (Green)

Wendy Yates (Cons)

Norton Canes

Adrienne Fitzgerald (Cons)

John Preece (Lab)*

Glen Tapper (Green)

Rawnsley

Aaron Bate (Lab)

Mick Jackson (UKIP)*

Val Jones (Cons)

Claire Wilkinson (Green)

Western Springs

Ken Ansell (Lib Dem)

Kieran Green (Lab)

Mick Grocott (Indep)*

Olivia Lyons (Cons)