Candidates for Mid Sussex District Council elections announced

The biggest news was announced last month as the council’s Conservative leader Garry Wall said he would be stepping down after a decade at the helm.

Husband and wife Margaret and Chris Hersey, Conservative councillors for Lindfield and High Weald respectively, are standing again, but this time as independents.

Norman Mockford, who represents East Grinstead - Town has recently become an independent and is now standing in East Grinstead - Baldwins instead.

Jonathan Ash-Edwards, who is tipped to replace Mr Wall as council leader if the Conservatives keep their majority, is one of three Tory candidates for Lindfield having represented Haywards Heath - Heath ward previously.

Neville Walker, one of three Tory councillors for Copthorne and Worth, is also standing in a different ward this time around and is looking to be elected for East Grinstead Town.

Ruth de Mierre, who represents Haywards Heath - Bentswood, is hoping to be elected for the town’s Lucastes ward next month.

Burgess Hill - Meeds councillor Richard Cherry is standing in the Franklands ward.

Two divisions have seen Conservative candidates elected unopposed as no other parties put up challengers.

Heidi Brunsdon and Rex Whittaker will continue to represent East Grinstead - Imberhorne, while Adam Peacock and Dick Sweatman will represent East Grinstead - Herontye.

In the Crawley Down and Turners Hill division the Conservatives are guaranteed to take at least one of the three seats, as only two other non-Tory candidates have been put up for election.

Other candidates not standing again (all Conservatives) are: Andrew Barrett-Miles and Jacqui Landriani (Burgess Hill - Dunstall), Claire Fussell and Ginny Heard (Burgesss Hill - Franklands), Cherry Catharine (Burgess Hill - Leylands), Kirsty Page (Burgess Hill - St Andrews), Steven Hansford (Burgess Hill - Victoria), Edward Matthews (Copthorne and Worth), Peter Reed (East Grinstead - Ashplats), Gordon Marples (Hassocks), Peter Wyan (East Grinstead - Town), David Dorking (Haywards Heath - Bentswood), and Geoff Rawlinson (Haywards Heath - Lucastes).

The Liberal Democrats are standing 34 candidates, Labour 27, the Greens 18 and UKIP five.

At the last election in 2015 the Conservatives secured all 54 seats.

Since then the Lib Dems won a by-election with Sue Hatton currently one of three councillors for Hassocks.

Town and parish councils will also be taking place in Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill, East Grinstead, Cuckfield and Turners Hill.

You have until Friday April 12 to register to vote. Visit the Government’s website.

Everyone voting at Mid Sussex polling stations at the local elections on Thursday May 2 will need a form of ID.

You will have to show your unique security-coded poll card or photo ID when you come to vote in a polling station.

This is part of a Government pilot to look at ways of tackling possible election fraud.

For a full list of candidates click here