Election 2021: Conservatives and Greens vying for Oswestry victory

The Conservatives have fielded 18 candidates, one for every seat, while the Greens have 16.

In six of the town’s seven wards the two parties go head to head with no other candidates on the ballot paper.

Meanwhile in Cabin Lane ward there are three Conservatives, one Green, one Liberal Democrat and three independents competing for three seats.

Two of the independent candidates standing in Cabin Lane currently represent different wards – Nikki Hughes (Cambrian) and Mike Coppock (Carreg Llwyd).

Five current councillors will not be standing for re-election to the town council, including Vince Hunt (Maserfield ward), who is also the current unitary councillor for Oswestry West but is moving to stand in Llanymynech division.

Fellow Shropshire Council hopeful, Conservative councillor Chris Schofield (Cambrian), is also stepping down, as are independent members Peter Cherrington (Cabin Lane) and Rebecca Evans (Maserfield), and Green councillor Barry Edwards (Gatacre).

Former Conservative councillor Jay Moore will stand for the Greens in Gatacre ward, as well as for Oswestry East on Shropshire Council, after switching allegiance last year.

He is one of five Green town councillors who are also standing for election to Shropshire Council, with mayor Duncan Kerr, Mike Isherwood, Olly Rose and Rosie Radford also hoping to win seats at both town and unitary level.

Meanwhile Shropshire Council’s deputy leader Steve Charmley, who represents Whittington divison for the Conservatives, will again attempt to win one of three seats in Castle Ward, having missed out to three Green Party opponents in 2017.

Candidates

The list of candidates is as follows

Cabin Lane (3 seats): Les Maguire (Con), Mark Jones (Con), Frank Davis (Con), Jemma Isherwood (Green), Romer Hoseason (Lib Dem), Mike Coppock (Ind), Nikki Hughes (Ind), Martin Bennett (Ind)

Cambrian (3 seats): Jessica Michie (Con), Cathy Osselton (Con), Rachel Richardson, Rosie Radford (Green), Stephen Froggatt (Green), Luke Watkins (Green)

Carreg Llwyd (3 seats): John Price (Con), Ann Parry (Con), Steve Mason (Con), Gemma Cassin (Green), Sam Chadwick (Green), Steve Watts (Green)

Castle (3 seats): Steve Charmley (Con), Judith Williams (Con), Mo Woof (Con), Duncan Kerr (Green), Olly Rose (Green), Mike Isherwood (Green)

Gatacre (2 seats): John Atherton (Con), John Gibson (Con), Jay Moore (Green), Sian Kerr (Green)

Maserfield (2 seats): Ian Davies (Con), Philip Keable (Con), Georgia Stackhouse (Green), Jonathan Upton (Green)

Victoria (2 seats): Sandy Best (Con), Paul Milner (Con), Josh Cockburn (Green), Merrick Rose (Green)