The local elections are now well underway and many candidates, including the Lib Dem team in Ludlow have been canvassing for weeks.
Yesterday Shropshire Council published the full list of candidates for the 2 May elections. There has been a flurry of last minutes candidates, including from UKIP which has pulled 29 out of the hat. Over the county, 207 candidates are standing for 74 seats. Politically, the split is:
Conservative: 74. Liberal Democrat: 37. Labour: 36. UKIP: 29. BNP: 5. Green: 8. Independent: 19
Here in Ludlow we have three seats being contested.
Ludlow East
Tracey Huffer: Liberal Democrat
Imogen Hereford: Green
Diane Lyle: Conservative
Colin Sheward: Labour
Ludlow South
Viv Parry: Liberal Democrat
Maurice Knott: UKIP
Graeme Perks: Independent
Martin Taylor-Smith: Conservative
Ludlow North
Andy Boddington: Liberal Democrat
Jim Hooper: Labour
Jennifer Leyton-Purrier: Independent
Frances Newman: Green
Chris Woodward: UKIP
Rosanna Taylor-Smith: Conservative
It is notable that neither UKIP candidate lives in Ludlow. Chris Woodward owns Hopton Court outside Cleobury Mortimer. Maurice Knott lives in Bridgnorth. All other candidates live in or adjacent to Ludlow town.