Wyboston by-election being held on Thursday for place on Bedford council

The election of Tom Wotton as Bedford’s mayor last month means a by-election for his vacant seat in the ward of Wyboston takes place on Thursday (June 29).

Residents eligible to vote for the by-election have received polling cards and are encouraged to vote in person at their nearest polling station, with the following sites open between 7am and 10pm: at Pertenhall Village Hall, The Old School, Bolnhurst, Keysoe Village Hall, Colmworth Village Hall, Wyboston Village Hall, Roxton Parish Hall and Little Staughton Village Hall.

They are also being advised to remember the need for voter ID, introduced countrywide this year.

Candidates making a bid for your votes for the ward are Julie Katherine Cox, conservative, Ian Robert James Nicholls, labour and Thomas Luke Townsend, liberal democrat focus team.

There are currently 13 conservative councillors, 14 labour councillors, 13 liberal democrats, three green party councillors and two independent councillors

A government requirement for voters to show photo ID at a polling station will apply. Accepted photo ID include, passport, driving licence (including provisional licence), Blue Badge, certain concessionary travel cards, identity card with Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) mark, biometric Immigration document, defence identity card, certain national identity cards and an expired photo ID can be used if the photo is still a good likeness.

Details of all approved photo ID are available on the Electoral Commission’s website.

The successful candidate will join 45 councillors already elected, completing the council’s make-up of elected members representing 28 wards.