BATTLE lines have been drawn as the parties across Colchester declared their runners and riders for the elections on May 6.

In three out of every four years, there is a borough council election in Colchester.

But last year elections were put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

At the moment, Colchester Council is run by a coalition of the Liberal Democrats and Labour.

The Conservative Party is the largest single group with 21 seats, but it is five seats short of an overall majority.

The Liberal Democrats hold 13 seats, Labour 11, Green one and Highwoods Independents three.

There are 19 seats which will be fought over in the forthcoming election across the borough’s 17 wards.

Those registered in the Prettygate and Lexden and Braiswick will vote for two candidates due to existing vacancies after long-standing councillors Beverly Davies and Brian Jarvis stepped down.

Here is the full list of all the candidates standing for each ward.

* Denotes sitting councillor

Berechurch

John Clifton, Green

Dave Harris, Labour*

Chris Piggott, Con

Mick Spindler, Lib Dem

Castle

Martin Gillingham, Lib Dem

Fabian Green, Con

Richard Hill, Lab

Step Nissen, Green

Greenstead

Kevin Blair, Reform UK

Kemal Cufoglu, Green

Michael Hinton, Con

Chantelle-Louise Whyborn, Lib Dem

Julie Young, Lab*

Highwoods

Diane Baker, Reform UK

Clare Burgess, Green

Kieron Franks, Lib Dem

Jocelyn Law, Lab

Gerard Oxford, Ind*

Stephen Rowe, Con

Lexden and Braiswick

Roger Bamforth, Green

Sandra Culham, Lib bDem

Luke Hayes, Lab

Martin Leatherdale, Con

Kayleigh Rippinggale-Shaw, Lab

Dennis Willetts, Con*

Marks Tey and Layer

Kevin Bentley, Con*

Neil Gilbranch, Ind

Mark Hull, Lib Dem

Amy Sheridan, Green

John Spademan, Lab

Mersea and Pyefleet

Peter Banks, Green

John Jowers, Con*

James Pey, Lab

Susan Waite, Lib Dem

Mile End

Pauline Bacon, Lab

Martin Goss, Lib Dem*

Amanda Kike, Green

Rachel Smith, Con

New Town and Christ Church

Bob Brannan, Green

Pam Cox, Lab

Carla Hales, Con

Catherine Spindler, Lib Dem

Old Heath and Hythe

Soban Asghar, Lib Dem

Rowena Cable, Con

Andrew Canessa, Green

Mike Lilley, Lab*

Prettygate

Richard Bourne, Lab

John Burgess, Green

Natalie Edgoose, Green

Sue Lissimore, Con*

John Loxley, Lib Dem

Leigh Tate, Con

Victoria Weaver, Lab

Rural North

Sue Bailey, Green

Diane Brown, Lab

William Brown, Lib Dem

Darius Laws, Con

Andrew Phillips, Reform UK

Shrub End

Lyn Barton, Lib Dem*

Joe Johnson, Reform UK

Angela Linghorn-Baker, Con

David McCulloch, Lab

Blake Roberts, Green

St Anne’s and St John’s

Abigail Chambers, Lab

Mike Hogg, Lib Dem*

Pam Nelson, Green

Tom Rowe, Con

Stanway

Kevin Brown, Lab

Jeremy Hagon, Con

John McArthur, Green

Paul Williams, Lib Dem

Tiptree Ward

Roger Mannion, Con

Clare Smee, Green

Jennifer Stevens, Lib Dem

John Wood, Lab

Wivenhoe

Asa Aldis, Green

Michelle Burrows, Lib Dem

Jodie Clark, Con

Cyril Liddy, Lab*