The Norfolk Breckland has traditionally been a happy hunting ground for the Conservatives.
Only one of the 12 Norfolk County Council seats in the district is a color other than blue, although the seat in Thetford East remains vacant following Tory Roy Brame’s resignation earlier this year.
Norfolk will vote on May 6th.
– Photo credit: PA Archive / PA Images
While the Conservatives had comfortable wins in most divisions in the 2017 elections, Labor’s Terry Jermy retained the Thetford West seat he won in a 2013 by-election from UKIP.
Labor’s Terry Jermy wants to keep Thetford West.
– Credit: Archant
In 2017 he prevailed against the conservative Jane James, who represents Thetford Castle in Breckland Council with 470 votes.
Conservative Jane James wants to win in Thetford East.
– Credit: Norfolk Conservatives
But this time Ms. James has moved to take the seat in Thetford East, leaving Barbara Tullett, Treasurer and Secretary of the Friends of Thetford Museum, a Conservative candidate for Thetford West.
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The Liberal Democrat Martin Callam and the independent Philip Wagstaff also stand.
Thetford East could be one of the most interesting battles in Breckland.
Mr Brame took over the Conservative seat from UKIP in 2017 but left the party and resigned earlier this year.
Last time around 257 Mike Brindle votes separated him from Labor, but Mr. Brindle, once chairman of the Lib Dem group in the County Hall, is in Guiltcross this time.
This means that Ms. James will face Susan Dowling from Labor, Lib Dem Jamie Cash and Denis Crawford from UKIP.
Mr Crawford, a former Thetford City Mayor, was a former Thetford East Councilor after winning by almost half the vote in 2013.
UKIP’s Denis Crawford is aiming for a return to the county hall.
– Photo credit: Matthew Usher
But in 2017 he got a little more than 16 percent of the vote and came third.
Conservative Bill Borrett, the Cabinet Member for the Adult Care Council, wishes to keep the Elmham and Mattishall seat he has held since 2009.
Former Labor Norwich councilor James ‘Bert’ Bremner, along with Liberal Democrat Ian Speller, are challenging the conservative Rhodri Oliver for his seat in Attleborough.
Ian Speller, Attleborough Liberal Democratic candidate.
– Credit: Liberal Democrats
However, Mr Oliver was a comfortable winner in 2017 with more than 63 votes.
It could be a closer battle at Dereham South. When Conservative Philip Duigan won the UKIP seat in 2017, he prevailed against Labor’s Harry Clarke with 326 votes.
The couple will compete against each other again, along with Lib Dem Jenny Pitchford.
Conservative William Richmond wants to keep Dereham North. With 1,512 votes in 2017, he was clear ahead of Labor’s Elizabeth Hunton, who received 478 votes.
This time around, Labor’s candidate Georgina Bunting is on, while the Lib Dems have selected Brendon Bernard to represent Ditchingham and Earsham on South Norfolk Council.
Conservative Ed Colman won Swaffham four years ago from UKIP with just under 60 percent of the vote.
His opponents in this election are Labor’s John Zielinski, Lib Dem Paul Auber and Green Peter Bate.
Claire Bowes won UKIP’s Watton for Conservatives in 2017 with more than 71 votes.
On this occasion, she competes against Lib Dem James Minto, Green Timothy Birt and Keith Prince of Labor.
Timothy Birt is the green candidate for Watton.
– Credit: Breckland Council
All 84 seats in Norfolk County Council will be challenged on May 6th.
The political composition of the council is Conservatives 52, Labor 16, Liberal Democrats nine, Independents three, Independent (unaligned) one, unaligned one and two vacancies.
All 84 Norfolk County Council seats are available for election.
– Photo credit: Archant Norfolk
Who can I vote for in Breckland?
Attleborough: James Bremner (L), Rhodri Oliver * (C), Ian Speller (LD)
Dereham North: Brendon Bernard (LD), Georgina Bunting (L), William Richmond * (C)
Dereham South: Harry Clarke (L), Phillip Duigan * (C), Jenny Pitchford (LD)
Elmham and Mattishall: Bill Borrett * (C), Mark Foley (LD), Tara Harris (L), Philip Morton (G)
Cross of debt: Stephen Askew * (C), Michael Brindle (L), Beverly Bulmer (LD)
Necton and Launditch: Jane Keidan-Cooper (G), Mark Kiddle-Morris * (C), Joseph Sisto (L), Matthew Weatherill (LD)
Swaffham: Paul Auber (LD), Peter Bate (G), Ed Colman * (C), John Zielinski (L)
The Brecks: Fabian Eagle * (C), Evie-May Ellis (LD), Anne Rix (G), Stuart Terry (L)
Thetford East: Jamie Cash (LD), Denis Crawford (UKIP), Susan Dowling (L), Jane James (C) (seat currently vacant)
Thetford West: Martin Callam (LD), Terry Jermy * (L), Barbara Tullett (C), Philip Wagstaff (I)
Watton: Timothy Birt (G), Claire Bowes (C), James Minto (LD), Keith Prince (L)
Yare and All Saints’ Day: Ulrike Behrendt (LD), Ann Bowyer (G), Edward Connolly * (C), Paul Siegert (L)
* seated city council