Independent Candidate Secures Victory in Repeated Town Council By-Election

An independent contender secured victory in a repeated town council by-election, necessitated by an administrative oversight. The initial by-election for the Elworth ward within Sandbach Town Council, held in August, was originally claimed by Colin Storey of the Labour party. However, a subsequent error resulted in the necessary documentation not being finalized promptly, requiring the by-election to be conducted again. Helen Merrick, an independent candidate, emerged victorious in the vote on Thursday, while Will Taylor of Reform UK placed second, and Storey concluded in third position. In October, Sandbach Town Council indicated that the expense associated with conducting the by-election a second time amounted to approximately £15,000. Prior to the election, Merrick stated on social media that her decision to run stemmed from her belief that “none of the candidates represented her.” Additional reports from Cheshire are available from the BBC. Updates from BBC Stoke & Staffordshire can be accessed via BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for material found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.