All you need to know as local by-election takes place following councillor's death - Teesside Live

People living in the ward of Normanby will have a chance ahead of Christmas to elect a new councillor to sit on Redcar and Cleveland Council.

A local by-election is being held on Thursday December 22. There’s a vacancy following the death of Chris Foley-McCormack in October, who represented the ward on the council for Labour.

Here's everything you need to know:

Who are the candidates?

There are five candidates in total who have been nominated. They are Tracy Jacobs (Liberal Democrats), Paul McInnes (Independent), Leanne Reed (Labour), Rita Richardson (Independent) and Paul Salvin (Conservative)

How can people vote?

There are four polling stations - at Overfields Primary School, Daisy Lane, Ormesby; Smith Dock Bowling Club, Skippers Lane, Normanby; Normanby Methodist Church Hall, in Cleveland Street, Normanby, and the Salvation Army Hall, in Bankfields Court, Bankfields Road, Flatts Lane. They will be open between 7am and 10pm on the day

How do I know if I am eligible?

Registered households living in the relevant postcode areas should have received a polling card notifying them of the election and their eligibility to vote

When will the result be known?

The verification and counting of the votes will take place immediately after the polls close and the outcome will be published on the council’s website the following morning, www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk

Wasn’t there a bit of controversy over the calling of an election?

Labour group leader Alec Brown suggested there was no appetite from residents for a by-election on the cusp of Christmas and a saving to the public purse could have been made by carrying the vacancy over to the scheduled local elections in May. But the South Tees Conservative Association said it was right a by-election be held ahead of time so voters could be fully represented at the council.

Will this make a difference to the overall political make-up of the council?

Not really. An independent/Liberal Democrat coalition still holds sway with Labour close behind as the next largest party. The new councillor will only have a few months in post before they have to stand for re-election in May, which is when the membership of the council could substantially change.

Will the voter turnout be low?

Quite possibly. Local elections traditionally attract far fewer votes than general elections and the time of the year is also likely to be a factor. A local council by-election held this week in Ashton, Wigan, saw a turnout of just 5.3%, a figure some have suggested is the lowest in post-war history.

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