Who’s standing for Exeter City Council? Full list revealed ahead of May elections

A total of 72 candidates will contest 14 seats on Exeter City Council when the city goes to the polls next month.

Polling stations across Exeter will be open on Thursday, May 7, with control of the council up for grabs.

Exeter almost did not have elections this year, as the Labour administration applied to the government to have the polls called off. It said not having the vote this year would save money, but also officer time, freeing council officials to work on preparations for the forthcoming reorganisation of Devon’s local government structures.

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The government initially looked likely to agree to the request from Exeter, along with a number of other councils across the country. But a change of heart meant the city council’s polls will go ahead after all.

There will be elections in each of the city’s 13 council wards, with one candidate to be elected in each, apart from Heavitree, which will return two councillors as a result of Green councillor Carol Bennett having stood down from her seat, in addition to the seat which was due to be contested anyway.

Overall control of the local authority will be at stake, with eight of the 14 seats to be contested currently held by the majority Labour group.

Going into the election, there are 22 Labour councillors in post, with the combined opposition parties and independents holding the other 17 seats.

It means Labour would only need to lose three of its eight contested seats to lose overall control of the council. The party that stands to gain the most ground is the Green Party, which goes into the election as the second-largest group with six councillors.

A good night for the Greens could see them move into double figures, holding the balance of power on the city council.

Other parties will also be eyeing gains. Reform UK did well a year ago when voters in Exeter chose representatives on Devon County Council. 

A similar showing from the party this time around could see them adding to their current tally of two councillors, one of whom is standing for re-election.

One Liberal Democrat council seat is up for grabs, as is one Conservative seat.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on May 7. Voters attending in person must bring an accepted form of photographic ID. Residents must be registered to vote, with a deadline of April 20 to do so.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote or postal proxy vote is 5pm on Tuesday, April 21, and the deadline to apply to vote by proxy is 5pm on Tuesday, April 28.

The Exeter Labour councillors whose seats will be up for grabs are Marina Asvashin (Priory), James Cookson (Topsham), Bob Foale (Alphington), Paul Knott (Exwick), Matthew Vizard (Newtown and St Leonards), Laura Wright (St Thomas), Josie Parkhouse (Pennsylvania) and Duncan Wood (Pinhoe).

The others are Cllrs Tess Read (Green, St Davids), Catherine Rees (Green, Heavitree), Kevin Mitchell (Liberal Democrat, Duryard and St James), Peter Holland (Conservative, St Loyes) and Tony Payne (Reform UK, Mincinglake and Whipton).

Cllrs Foale, Parkhouse, Read, Rees and Holland are not standing for re-election.

The full list of candidates standing in the 13 wards is as follows:

Alphington - FINDLAY Lucy Jane, Labour and Co-operative Party; LUSCOMBE Kayleigh Michelle Suzanne, The Conservative Party Candidate; PALMER Jayden Simon, Reform UK; PICKIN JJ, Liberal Democrat; WOTTON Greg, Green Party Candidate

Duryard and St James - HAWKE Jonathan Michael, Labour Party; HODGE David John, Reform UK; ISHAKOGLU Mithat, Green Party Candidate; MITCHELL Kevin John, Liberal Democrat; STANWELL-WISE Sebastian, The Conservative Party Candidate

Exwick - GILLETT Lee Matthew, Reform UK; HORNER Jamie Liam, Liberal Democrat; KNOTT Paul Graeme, Labour and Co-operative Party; LEGESSE Kalkidan, Green Party Candidate; LUSCOMBE David, The Conservative Party Candidate

Heavitree (two councillors to be elected) - BEER Tina Rose, Reform UK; BROCK Philip John, Liberal Democrat; MUTTON Dave, Labour Party; NEW Katherine Helen Judy, The Conservative Party Candidate; NEWBERY Jordan, Independent; NORRIS Lisa Jane, Reform UK; SMITH Stella, Green Party Candidate; SUTTON Rachel Helen, Labour Party; TERRY Helen, Green Party Candidate; TRUDGEON Colin John, The Conservative Party Candidate; WILLIAMS Nigel David, Liberal Democrat

Mincinglake and Whipton - AYRES Martin, Green Party Candidate; CASEMORE Steve, Labour and Co-operative Party; PAYNE Anthony John, Reform UK; PAYNE Michael Geoffrey, Liberal Democrat; THOMPSON David John, The Conservative Party Candidate

Newtown and St Leonards - CHELVANAYAGAM Bernadette, Green Party Candidate; PYE Jonny, Liberal Democrat; SMITH Ruth, The Conservative Party Candidate; VIZARD Matthew James, Labour Party; WESTLAKE Jo, Reform UK

Pennsylvania - ACZEL Will, Liberal Democrat; BAKER Gill, Green Party Candidate; BATTERSHILL Michael Stephen, Reform UK; BLACK Paula Joan, Labour and Co-operative Party; HANNAFORD Rob, The Conservative Party Candidate; HATCHER Myles Jefferson, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Pinhoe - ALLEN Mark, Green Party Candidate; BALDWIN Ian Anthony, The Conservative Party Candidate; CAMPION Christine Anne, Liberal Democrat; MESSER Ashton Michael, Reform UK; WOOD Duncan, Labour and Co-operative Party

Priory - ASVACHIN Marina Yvette, Labour Party; NEWBY Rob, The Conservative Party Candidate; THOMAS Philip Alexander, Liberal Democrat; VICKERS Jack David, Green Party Candidate; WILLIAMS Nicholas, Reform UK

St Davids - AL-SAKET Yasmine, The Conservative Party Candidate; CLOW Susan, Reform UK; CURNOCK Charles Anthony, Liberal Democrat; LELLIOTT Rose Alexandra, Labour and Co-operative Party; RAPPERT Brian, Green Party Candidate

St Loyes - COLLACOTT Joan Marilyn, The Conservative Party Candidate; JHAVERI Laila, Labour Party; OWEN Christopher John Lambert, Reform UK; RICHARDS Paul Stephen, Liberal Democrat; WHIPPLE Chloe, Green Party Candidate

St Thomas - COCKBURN Robert-James Stuart, Reform UK; NEWCOMBE Vanessa, Liberal Democrat; REED Jack, Green Party Candidate; STONE Caroline Elizabeth, The Conservative Party Candidate; WRIGHT Laura Charis Adelaide, Labour and Co-operative Party

Topsham - COOKSON James Elie, Labour Party; DAVIES Sue, Reform UK; GAINSFORD Tim, Liberal Democrat; KEEN Ann Barbara, Green Party Candidate; THOMPSON Cynthia, The Conservative Party Candidate