Wivenhoe Quay on Colchester (Lab defence)
Last election to council (2014): Liberal Democrat 25, Conservative 23, Labour 8, Independent 3 (No Overall Control, Liberal Democrats short by 5)
Last election in ward (2011): Labour 1,279 (57%), Conservative 573 (26%), Greens 217 (10%), Liberal Democrats 172 (8%)
Candidates duly nominated: Shaun Boughton (Lib Dem), Tim Glover (Green), Peter Hill (Con), Dave Osborn (Patrotic Socialist), John Pitts (UKIP), Rosalind Scott (Lab)

St. James on Northampton (Lab Defence)
Last election to council (2011): Conservatives 26, Labour 15, Liberal Democrats 4 (Conservative overall majority of 7)
Last election in ward (2011): Labour 419 (35%), Conservatives 386 (32%), Liberal Democrats 208 (17%), Independent 198 (16%)
Candidates duly nominated: Rufia Ashraf (Lab), Jill Hope (Lib Dem), John Howsam (UKIP), Andrew Kilbride (Con)

Braunston and Crick (Con Defence) and Brixworth (Con Defence) on Northamptonshire
Result of last election to council (2013): Conservatives 36, Labour 11, Liberal Democrats 6, United Kingdom Independence Party 3, Independent 1 (Conservative overall majority of 15)
Result of last election in ward (2013)

Braunstone and Crick
Conservative 1,008 (34%), United Kingdom Independence Party 932 (31%), Labour 884 (30%), Liberal Democrats 138 (5%)
Candidates duly nominated: Abigail Campbell (Lab), Malcolm Longley (Con), Eric MacAnndrais (UKIP)

Brixworth
Conservative 1,683 (51%), United Kingdom Independence Party 826 (25%), Labour 436 (13%), Green 221 (7%), Liberal Democrats 133 (4%)
Candidates duly nominated: Cecile Irving-Swift (Con), Daniel Jones (Lib Dem), Robert McNally (Lab), Stephen Pointer (UKIP), Stephen Whiffen (Green)

Old Laund Booth on Pendle (Lib Dem defence)
Result of last election to council (2014): Conservative 19, Labour 18, Liberal Democrats 11, British National Party 1 (No Overall Control, Conservatives short by 6)
Result of last election in ward (2011): Liberal Democrats 367 (49%), Conservatives 357 (47%), Labour 32 (4%)
Candidates duly nominated: Jill Hartley (Con), Keiron Hartley (Blue), Brian Newman (Lib Dem), Michael Waddington (UKIP)

Manningtree, Mistley, Little Bentley & Tendring on Tendring (Conservative defence)
Result of last election to council (2011): Conservative 33, Independents 16, Labour 9, Liberal Democrats 2 (Conservative overall majority of 6)
Result of last election in ward (2011): Emboldened denotes elected
Conservatives 759, 724
Liberal Democrats 656, 367
Greens 407
Candidates duly nominated: Mark Cole (UKIP), Alan Coley (Con), Jo Richardson (Lab), Rosemary Smith (Lib Dem)

Charlton Park on Cheltenham (Conservative HOLD in 2010)
Result of last election to council (2014): Liberal Democrats 24, Conservatives 12, Independents 4 (Liberal Democrat overall majority of 8)
Result of election in 2010: Conservatives 1,641 (52%) Liberal Democrats 1,512 (48%)
Candidates duly nominated: Paul Baker (Lib Dem), John Bride (Lab), Justin Dunne (UKIP), Penny Hall (Con), Wayne Spiller (Green)

Blackwall and Cubitt Town on Tower Hamlets (Boundary Changes)
Result of last election to council (2014): Labour 20, Tower Hamlets First 18, Conservatives 4 (No Overall Control, Labour short by 2)
Candidates duly nominated by party
Conservatives: Christopger Chapman, Geeta Kasanga, Gloria Thienel
Green Party: Katy Guttman, Mark Lomas, Chris Smith
Independent: Mohammed Rahman
Labour: Dave Chesterton, Anisur Rahman, Candida Ronald
Liberal Democrats: Elaine Bagshaw, Stephen Clarke, Richard Flowers
Tower Hamlets First: Kabir Ahmed, Mohammed Aktaruzzaman, Faruk Khan
Trade Unionists and Socialists: Ellen Kenyon Peers, John Peers
United Kingdom Independence Party: Diana Lochner, Anthony Registe, Paul Shea

I apologise for the lack of information about the by-elections due today, I was only aware of the ones being held in Yorkshire yesterday until this morning.

Harry Hayfield