Local council elections 2019

Polls are open tomorrow in East Wichel, Thursday 2nd May, for elections to two councils — Swindon Borough Council and Central Swindon South Parish Council, also known as South Swindon Parish Council.

For Swindon Borough Council, there are five candidates standing for one councillor vacancy.

• Nick Burns-Howell (Conservative Party)
• Jason Costello (UK Independence Party)
• Neil Hopkins (Labour Party)
• Bill Hughes (Green Party)
• Peter Oliver (Liberal Democrats)

The current borough councillor whose term is ending, the Conservative’s Claire Ellis, is not standing for re-election.

For South Swindon Parish Council, four seats are up for election, with seven candidates from from two parties.

• Mohammad Chowdury (Conservative Party)
• Richard Freestone (Conservative Party)
• Bhwana Goyal(Conservative Party)
• Neil Hopkins (Labour Party)
• Linda Kasmaty (Labour Party)
• Jane Milner-Barry (Labour Party)
• Nadine Watts (Labour Party)

Labour’s Neil Hopkins, Jane Milner-Barry and Nadine Watts are all standing for re-election; the Conservative’s Nick Burns-Howell is not standing for re-election as a parish councillor.

The polling station at the StoweAway Community Centre will be open from 7 am to 10 pm.

Results update, Friday 3 May 2019
In the borough council elections, the Conservative’s Nick Burns-Howell won the Old Town ward with a majority of just 15 over Labour’s Neil Hopkins. There were four recounts before the result was announced. The Conservatives retained control of Swindon Borough Council with an increased majority of five councillors but with a decreased share of the vote.

In the parish council elections, all four Labour candidates were elected for Old Town and East Wichel, with a clear majority over the Conservative candidates. Nadine Watts received significantly more votes than any other candidate.