Date for Thetford by-election set

The date for a by-election to find a district and town councillor in Thetford has been announced.

People will go to the polls on September 13 when they vote for a replacement for former Abbey ward councillor Pauline Quadling who stepped down from Breckland District and Thetford Town councils earlier this month due to work commitments and ill-health.

Candidates looking to replace Mrs Quadling on Thetford Town Council are Conservative Roy Brame, Independent Mike Brindle, and UKIP’s Peter Costos Georgiou.

While standing for a seat on Breckland Council are Conservative Roy Brame, Mike Brindle who this time represents the Liberal Democrats, Labour’s Brenda Canham and UKIP’s Denis Melvin.

It is the fourth by-election in the district since June and following the resignation of three other councillors, one of whom moved to Cornwall, one who sited a conflict of interests and another who resigned due to ill-health.

Mrs Quadling’s former seat could also herald an opportunity for Labour which was ousted as the main opposition party on Breckland Council earlier this year when councillor Carl Clark decided to leave the group and the four Independents banded together to create a formal group of their own. Her resignation leaves Breckland Council with 47 conservatives, three Independents and three Labour.

Applications for postal votes must be submitted to the electoral registration officer at Breckland Council by 5pm on August 29.

Polls will be open between 7am and 10pm.