New town councils attract almost 200 candidates

Almost 200 candidates for the new Bournemouth, Poole and Broadstone town councils have put themselves forward to run as councillors in the new wards.

New town councils are being introduced across Bournemouth, Poole and Broadstone following a council decision.

The move comes after a Community Governance Review, which looked at how local areas are represented, resulting in approval for 3 new lower tier authorities despite consultation responses showing a majority of residents were against the plans.

A total of 1866 people responded to the consultation, representing around 0.5 per cent of the population, with feedback indicating opposition, although the final decision was made through a formal vote by councillors in October 2025.

The proposals for Broadstone and Poole were approved with 54 per cent support, while Bournemouth passed with 51 per cent, confirming the introduction of the new councils across the conurbation.

Elections to choose councillors for these town councils are set for 7 May, with 27 parish wards being created across Bournemouth and Poole as part of the new structure.

There are 27 new parish wards being introduced across Bournemouth and Poole, the candidates are:

Alderney and Wallisdown South Ward

• John Hammond – Reform UK
• Lee Lockton – Green Party
• Barry Rathbone as an independent candidate
• David Stokes – Labour Party
• Tony Trent – Liberal Democrats

Bearwood Ward

• David Brown – Liberal Democrats
• Simon Cutter – Green Party
• John Sheldon – Reform UK

Boscombe and Pokesdown Ward

• Patrick Canavan – Labour Party
• George Farquhar – Labour Party
• Duane Farr – Reform UK
• Gillian Martin – Reform UK
• Paul Radcliffe – Liberal Democrats
• Nick Tidiman – Green Party
• Emily Woodward – Green Party
• Michelle Young – Liberal Democrats

Bourne Valley and Branksome East Ward

• James Cook – Green Party
• Daisy Seymour – Liberal Democrats
• Rosemarie Stirk – Reform UK
• Declan Stone – Labour Party
• Russell Trent – Liberal Democrats
• Beckee White – Labour Party
• Stuart Wischhusen – Reform UK

Bournemouth Central, Westbourne and West Cliff Ward

• Mark Battistini – Liberal Democrats
• Karen Hay – Local Conservatives
• Simon Hollosi – Reform UK
• Michael Labidi – Local Conservatives
• Dawn Logan – Liberal Democrats
• Rogar Mann – Green Party
• Jamie Martin – Labour Party
• Simon Marritt – Liberal Democrats
• Dan Miskow – Labour Party
• Dan Moore – Labour Party
• Feda Shahin – Green Party

Branksome Park and Canford Cliffs Ward

• Nicola Elms – Liberal Democrats
• Martin Holst  – Labour Party
• John Pearce – Reform UK
• John Tutton – Green Party

Branksome West and Penn Hill Ward

• Alan Daniels – Labour Party
• Ashley Fraser – On Your Side
• Marion Le Poidevin – Liberal Democrats
• Gavin Radley – Animal Welfare Party
• Richard Rutty – Reform UK
• Richard Shutt – Labour Party
• Phillipa Vincent-Connolly – Reform UK
• Oliver Walter – Liberal Democrats

Broadstone East Ward

• Mike Brooke – Liberal Democrats
• Colin Elkins – Independent putting Broadstone first
• Richard Farrow – Independent
• Andy Maxey – Liberal Democrats
• Tracey Newman – Reform UK
• John Sheldon – Reform UK
• Peter Sidaway – Liberal Democrats
• Kevin Stewart – Reform UK
• Mark Watson – Reform UK

Broadstone West Ward

• Simon Durham – Independent
• David O’Neil – Liberal Democrats
• Peter Robers – Green Party
• Paul Slade – Liberal Democrats
• Jo Tebbs – Independent Putting Broadstone First
• Sally Walls – Liberal Democrats
• Christopher Warricker – Reform UK
• Adrian Witt – Reform UK
• Cameron Witt – Independent
• Harry Witt – Reform UK

Canford Heath Ward

• Jemima Astill – Green Party
• Rachael Gilder – Liberal Democrats
• Hazel Moore – Liberal Democrats
• Kevin Stewart – Reform UK
• Harry Witt – Reform UK

Creekmoor and Waterloo Ward

• Lucy Gibbs – Liberal Democrats
• Donna Jones – Green Party
• Bev Wright – Labour Party
• David Youlden – Reform UK

East Cliff and Springbourne Ward

• Sara Armstrong – Green Party
• Catherine Bishop – Liberal Democrats
• Alan Blumenthal – Reform UK
• Karen Blumenthal – Reform UK
• Ben O’Keeffe – Green Party
• Gillian Pardy – Liberal Democrats
• Ian Prankerd – Labour

Hamworthy East Ward

• Daniel Bleeze – Reform UK
• Judith Chapman – Liberal Democrats
• Yasmin Clewes – Green Party
• Peter Cooper – Labour Party
• Paul Whitlock – Poole People

Hamworthy West and Turlin Moor Ward

• David Chapman – Liberal Democrats
• Jim Fagan-King – Labour Party
• Brian Hitchcock – Poole People
• Kerry Pocock – Greren Party
• Mark White – Reform UK

Kinson Ward

• William Brown – Reform UK
• Jonathan Crewe – Green Party
• Roger Eede – Green Party
• Laurence Fear – Reform UK
• Susan Lennon is standing with no party affiliation listed
• Down Lovejoy – Labour Party
• Nicola Rogers –  Local Conservatives
• Zac Skidmore – Labour Party
• Marcell Taylor – Liberal Democrats
• Alan Zaczek – Liberal Democrats

Littledown and Iford Ward

• Hanna Bland – Green Party
• Patrick Connolly – Labour Party
• Jake Garrod – Green Party
• Muriel Goldet – Liberal Democrats
• Gill Seymour – Reform UK
• Victoria Taylor – Liberal Democrats

Longfleet and Sterte Ward

• Sue Aitkenhead – Labour Party
• Matthew Cheetham – Green Party
• Malvyn Law –  Reform UK
• Sal Petito – Poole People
• Martin Rodger – Liberal Democrats

Merley Ward

• Marcus Andrews – Liberal Democrats
• Vivenne Arkell – Labour Party
• Pater Kazmerczak – Independent
• Gordon Reeves – Reform UK

Muscliff and Moordown Ward

• Sarah Anderson – Reform UK
• Steve Butcher – Reform UK
• Derek Heritage – Labour Party
• Nathan McNeil – Liberal Democrats
• Derek Scudder – Liberal Democrats
• Toby Slade – Independent

Newtown Ward

• Jon Ayres – Reform UK
• Michael Day – Reform UK
• Helen Donaldson – Labour Party
• Millie Earl – Liberal Democrats
• William Kimmet – UKIP
• Sandra Mackrow – Liberal Democrats
• Jake Rafferty – Green Party

Northbourne, Redhill, Wallisdown North and Winton West

• Olivia Brown – Liberal Democrats
• Charlie Cushway – Labour Party
• David D’Orton-Gibson – Local Conservatives
• Julia Drage – Labour Party
• Liz Elwick – Green Party
• Mark Hsrper – Reform UK
• Rich Herrett – Liberal Democrats
• Chris Moody – Reform UK
• Mike Squires – Green Party

Oakdale and South-East Creekmoor

• Steven Cowan – Reform UK
• Amber Davis-Williams – Liberal Democrats
• Josh Hartley – Labour Party
• Steve Hayes – Reform UK
• Amanda Jellicoe – Liberal Democrats
• Rob Payne – Independent
• Felicity Rice – Poole People
• Ben Skipp – Green Party

Old Town and Baiter Ward

• Christoper Allenby – Poole People
• Simon Lane – Independent
• Tracey Newman – Reform UK
• Ben Pantling – Green Party
• Raymond Sparrow – Liberal Democrats
• James Whiting – Labour Party

Parkstone, Lilliput and Sandbanks

• Xena Dion – Reform UK
• Ana Fraser – Standing Up For You
• Crispin Goodall – Liberal Democrats
• Ralph Lynch – Labour Party
• Roger Mann –  Green Party
• Phillip Murray- Independent
• Emily Pankhurst – Liberal Democrats
• Carolyn Reece – Green Party
• Jake Ruggier – Labour Party
• Susan Stockwell – Poole People

Southbourne and Tuckton Ward

• Simon Adorian – Labour Party
• Amy Bailey – Green Party
• Jim Bealey – Reform UK
• Ceri Edwards-Hawthorne – Green Party
• Jeff Hanna – Liberal Democrats
• Bernadette Nanovo – Liberal Democrats

Strouden and Queen’s Park Ward

• Mark Anderson – Reform UK
• Richard Blackwell-Whitehead – Liberal Democrats
• Lorraine Crouch – Liberal Democrats
• Elaine Findlay – Green Party
• Alasdair Keddie – Green Party
• Eyyup Kilic – Labour Party
• Louise Norman – Labour Party
• Roberto Rocca – Reform UK

Winton East, Charminster West and Talbot Woods

• Simon Bull – Green Party
• Julia Chappetti – Liberal Democrats
• Michael Crachnell – Labour Party
• Kieron Franklin – Reform UK
• Matthew Gillett – Liberal Democrats
• Lisa Jepson – Labour Party
• Sash Jolliffe Yasawi – Animal Welfare Party
• Chris Rigby -.Green Party
• Daniel Wilson – Local Conservatives

Residents should check their poll card to confirm which ward they are in and the location of their polling station.