Updated: Political parties have started to reveal their candidates for the city council elections in May, when – unusually – all three council seats for each council ward will be up for grabs. Here’s what we know so far...

Usually the council is ‘elected by thirds’, meaning every year for three consecutive years only one councillor out of three for each of the city’s 17 wards completes their term of office, and elections are held for their seats.

But this year all seats will be up for grabs for the first time in over 20 years, following ward boundary changes.

Photo ID needed to vote at polling stations in May

While on the one hand this might be seen as an opportunity for smaller parties to pick up more votes than usual and perhaps win seats, paradoxically some may struggle to put forward candidates to contest every seat up for grabs – or choose not to for tactical reasons.

The current political composition of the council is:
Labour – 26 seats
Conservative – 20
Liberal Democrat – 1
Independent – 1 (former Labour councillor Prof Barrie Margetts)

Bitterne Park

Bitterne Park ward is currently served by two Conservative councillors, and – since last May – the ward’s first Labour councillor, Tony Bunday.

Bunday saw off the Conservative candidate and former councillor Rob Harwood by 255 votes at the last local election.

The ward had previously been represented by three Conservatives since around 2003, and Lib Dems held seats prior to that.

Defending: Conservative councillors Ivan White and David Fuller

This May both current Conservative councillors - Ivan White, and David Fuller, who now lives in the ward – will be defending their seats, while we understand Rob Harwood, pictured right, will again be standing for the Tories.

Meanwhile Labour will again be fielding current councillor Tony Bunday, along with Amanda-Barnes-Andrews and teacher Phil Webb.

Labour candidates:Tony Bunday, Amanda-Barnes Andrews & Phil Webb. Photo: Matt Bunday

While parties frequently lack sufficient candidates who live in the ward they’re to contest, this time it seems all Labour’s hopefuls reside in Bitterne Park.

Meanwhile Lindsi Bluemel is likely to be the sole Bitterne Park Green Party candidate in May, while the Liberal Democrats – who currently hold one council seat in Bassett ward – said they were “still finalising our candidates for Portswood and Bitterne Park” at the time of writing.

The Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition said they would be “standing in all wards” and will release a list shortly, although didn’t specify the number of candidates they’d stand in each.

How Bitterne Park voted in May 2022
BUNDAY, Anthony Wyatt, Labour and Co-operative Party, 1828 – Elected
FILEMAN, Vanessa Antonia, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, 61
HARWOOD, Robert Craig, Local Conservatives, 1573
MAKRAKIS, Helen Mary, Green Party, 394
Electorate: 10259
Turnout: 37.79%

Portswood

The news in Portswood, which also covers St Denys, is that Labour councillor and current cabinet member for housing and the green environment, Lisa Mitchell, pictured left, won’t be restanding.

She’s one of three current Labour councillors for the ward, along with John Savage and Gordon Cooper. Both Savage and Cooper will be back on ballot papers for the party in May, along with Marie Finn.

The "provisional" Conservative slate is said to comprise Pat O'Dell, Helen Hetherton and Nick Moulton.

The Greens, who fought hard in Portswood ward at the last election (Katherine Barbour was in the end beaten by Labour’s Mitchell by 314 votes) will be fielding three candidates in the ward: Katherine Barbour, right, Helen Makrakis and Jonathan Bean. 

Don’t forget if you want to vote in your ward you will need suitable photo ID following changes introduced by the government – for more information see our previous piece.

How Portswood voted in May 2022
BARBOUR, Katherine Jane, Green Party, 1435
CHENG, Wai Kee, Local Conservatives, 456
MITCHELL, Lisa, Labour Party, 1749 – Elected
TWINE, Derek Anthony, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, 47

Electorate: 9364
Turnout: 39.56%

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, other councillors not restanding in wards across the city are:

Cllr Marley Guthrie. Conservative. Sholing Ward.
Cllr Hannah Coombs. Labour. Shirley Ward. 
Cllr Les Harris. Conservative. Bassett Ward. 
Cllr David Furnell. Labour. Millbrook. 
Cllr Elliot Prior. Conservative. Bitterne. 
Cllr Joshua Payne. Conservative. Peartree Ward. 
Cllr Barrie Margetts. Independent (ex Labour). Coxford Ward.

At full council on March 15, leader Cllr Satvir Kaur, gave her farewell to the departing councillors. She said: “We all know that being a councillor probably isn’t the easiest job, but I would like to think it is one of the most rewarding.

“I would like to say irrespective of your politics and what colour rosette you wear, thank you to anyone who is stepping down for your service to the local communities and our city.”

Photo ID needed to vote at polling stations in May

 Additional reporting by Jamie Shapiro, Local Democracy Reporter 

Updated 22/3/23 to include the fact that Bitterne Park Conservative candidate David Fuller lives in the ward, and to list the provisional Conservative Portswood candidates.