County council candidates revealed

The candidates for the Derbyshire County Council elections on Thursday, May 1st have been announced.

In four weeks, all 64 seats on Derbyshire County Council are up for grabs, at a time when the authority is at risk of its own potential extinction through local government reorganisation.

This is the first time the council has had 64 divisions instead of 61, with all but three areas seeing their boundaries redrawn and almost all divisions also gaining new names.

The authority has been controlled by the Conservative Party since 2017 with the current makeup of the council as follows: 40 Conservatives, 15 Labour, four Liberal Democrats, two Amber Valley Independents, two Independents and one Green Party councillor.

Councillors are usually elected for four-year terms but this time successful candidates may only serve two-year terms with the authority to be scrapped and merged into a new council or councils in the next couple of years.

Final confirmation over their term length is in flux due to the ongoing local government reorganisation talks through which final submissions are due in late November.

Elections for the yet-to-be-decided “shadow councils” are currently due to take place in early 2027 and could see the Derbyshire split into north and south, county and city or into a three-council arrangement – all down from the current 10.

The candidate lists show that the Conservatives, Labour and Reform UK have selected candidates for all 64 seats, with the Liberal Democrats competing in all but eight and the Green Party contesting all but 12.

Among the candidates are 36 independents, six members of Chesterfield Independents, six members of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, two members of Belper Independents, one member of the National Front and one member of the Homeland Party.

Nigel Gourlay, who was elected to the council as a Conservative, before being suspended, reappointed and now sitting as an independent, is listed as a “Local Conservatives” candidate.

Meanwhile, former Labour Party MP for the High Peak, Ruth George, having served the party for five years as councillor for the Whaley Bridge, will now contest the division as an independent candidate having been de-selected.

Cllr Alan Graves, leader of the Reform Derby group on Derby City Council, is contesting the Aston seat in South Derbyshire.

Two Conservative cabinet members are set to compete for seats in different districts than they were first elected to four years ago.

Charlotte Cupit, cabinet member for highways assets and transport, will compete for the Swanwick and Riddings division in Amber Valley, having been elected to represent the Clay Cross North division in North East Derbyshire.

Carolyn Renwick, cabinet member for infrastructure and environment, will compete for the Staveley North and Whittington division in Chesterfield, having been elected to represent the Eckington and Killamarsh division in North East Derbyshire.

The deputy leader of the council, Conservative Simon Spencer, is not standing for re-election after 16 years on the authority and around 30 years as an elected representative.

Both Philip Rose and Alexander Stevenson, elected as Conservative councillors before being suspended, joining Reform UK and then resigning to sit as Amber Valley Independents, are now running for re-election as independents.

Cllr Gareth Gee, formerly an Amber Valley borough councillor for Crich who now represents Bakewell on Derbyshire Dales District Council, is now to compete for the Matlock county council division.

The candidate list also details how numerous people are running for seats in different districts than the one they live in, with some at opposite ends of the county and one in Staffordshire.

Here are the prospective candidates for this year’s Derbyshire County Council elections, broken down alphabetically by district.

Candidates for each division are also listed alphabetically by surname, which is the order they will appear on ballots.

Amber Valley

• Alfreton and Somercotes 
• Stuart Bent – Reform UK
• Matt Gent – Independent
• Russ Hubber – Green Party
• Michael Roe – Independent
• Elaine Sherman – Labour
• Paul Slater – Liberal Democrat
• Steve Tomlinson – Conservative

Alport and Duffield

• Leo Fox-White – Independent
• Rachael Hatchett – Green Party
• Barry Holliday – Liberal Democrat
• James Kerry – Reform UK
• Paula Maude – Independent
• Mark Spilsbury – Labour
• David Taylor – Conservative
• Freddie Theobald – Independent
• Codnor, Aldercar, Langley Mill and Loscoe
• Darran Furness – Reform UK
• Jake Gilbert – Conservative
• Paul Jones – Labour
• Timothy Knowles – National Front
• Angela Mayson – Green Party
• Jeremy Miles – Liberal Democrat
• Philip Rose – Independent

Heanor

• Sue Castillon – Green Party
• Jason Edge – Labour
• Jerry Marler – Liberal Democrat
• Peter Matthews – Reform UK
• Mayo Oliver – Conservative
• Alex Stevenson – Independent

Horsley

• John Cowings – Labour
• Zita Keats – Independent
• Adrian Miller – Liberal Democrat
• Richard Morgan – Reform UK
• Amanda Paget – Conservative
• Lian Pizzey – Green Party

North Belper

• Ben Bellamy – Belper Independents
• Michael Greatbatch – Conservative 
• Martyn Knight – Reform UK
• Emma Monkman – Labour
• Jamie Walls – Green Party
• Mark Wilson – Liberal Democrat

Ripley East

• Malc Hibbard – Independent 
• Julie Hodgson – Liberal Democrat
• Tony Holmes – Labour
• Steven Knee – Conservative
• Mark Simmons – Green Party
• Edwin Taylor – Independent
• Tony Wilson – Reform UK

Ripley West and Crich

• Amina Burslem – Labour
• Mark Chambers – Reform UK
• Guy Liggett – Independent
• Sally Lowick – Green Party
• Paul Moss – Conservative
• Edward Oakenfull – Independent 
• Kate Smith – Liberal Democrat

South Belper and Holbrook

• Martin Carnell – Reform UK
• Mary Dwyer – Labour 
• Gez Kinsella – Green Party
• Rob Marshall – Belper Independents
• Matt Murray – Conservative 
• Richard Salmon – Liberal Democrat

Swanwick and Riddings

• Alan Abernathy – Independent
• James Butler – Labour
• Charlotte Cupit – Conservative 
• Charlotte Gates – Reform UK
• Dave Hatchett – Green Party
• Malvin Trigg – Liberal Democrat

Bolsover:
Barlborough and Clowne

• Helen Davies – Green Party 
• David Dixon – Conservative 
• Dean Eggleston – Trade Union and Socialist Coalition
• Kevin Harper – Reform UK
• Steven Raison – Liberal Democrat
• Dawn Walton – Labour
• Pamela Windley – Independent

Bolsover

• Tom Batten – Homeland Party
• Jon Dale – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
• Joan Dixon – Labour
• Dorothy Dobbs – Liberal Democrat
• Will Fletcher – Conservative
• Mike Noble – Green Party
• Carol Wood – Reform UK

Elmton with Creswell and Whitwell

• Cris Carr – Independent 
• Joanna Collins – Green Party
• Elaine Evans – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
• Roy Hallett – Reform UK
• Natalie Hoy – Conservative
• Mick Yates – Labour

Hardwick 

• Jill Brooks – Green Party
• Sharon Coleman – Conservative 
• David Harvey – Reform UK
• Clive Moesby – Labour
• Robert Smith – Trade Union and Socialist Coalition
• Leonard Walker – Independent

Shirebrook and Pleasley

• Christine Dale – Labour
• Helen Oakton – Independent
• Sarah Reaney – Reform UK
• Ronnie Rogers – Trade Union and Socialist Coalition
• Peter Shepherd – Liberal Democrat
• David Taylor – Conservative 
• Tony White – Green Party
• South Normanton and Pinxton
• Alex Crainic – Labour
• Brian Loader – Trade Union and Socialist Coalition
• Ian Mason – Green Party
• Julian Siddle – Conservative
• Nephi Somerville – Reform UK

Chesterfield
Brimington

• Carl Chambers – Independent
• Dean Collins – Labour
• Stephen Hartley – Liberal Democrat
• Cheryl Jackson – Independent
• Kieron Payne – Independent
• Janet Ratcliffe – Green Party
• Richard Smith – Reform UK
• Wendy Tinley – Conservative 

Dunston

• Joss Barnes – Reform UK
• David Fox – Green Party
• Katherine Hollingworth – Liberal Democrat
• Jean Innes – Labour 
• Ian Jerram – Conservative
• Kris Stone – Chesterfield Independents

Hasland and Rother

• Sue Armenante – Chesterfield Independents
• Lisa Blakemore – Labour
• Maggie Kellman – Liberal Democrat
• Linda Rowley – Conservative
• Lewis Whitbread – Reform UK
• Darren Yates – Green Party
• Linacre and Loundsley Green
• David Jones – Chesterfield Independents
• Alex Millward – Reform UK
• Paul Niblock – Liberal Democrats
• Katherine Noble – Green Party
• Sanjoy Sen – Conservative
• Elizabeth Smith – Labour

Spire

• Ed Fordham – Liberal Democrat
• Alan Heathcote – Chesterfield Independents
• Vicky Noble – Green Party
• Ludwig Ramsey – Labour
• Caz Smyth – Reform UK
• Swaroop Surendranathan Pillai – Conservative

Staveley

• Dawn Abbott – Reform UK
• Mick Bagshaw – Independent
• Anne-Frances Haynes – Labour
• Louis Hollingworth – Green Party
• Paul Jacobs – Liberal Democrat
• Andy Jervis – Conservative
• Paul Mann – Independent

Staveley North and Whittington 

• Barry Bingham – Liberal Democrat
• Rose Clark – Chesterfield Independents
• Mark Cliff – Reform UK
• Martin Hibbert – Independent
• Allan Ogle – Labour
• Carolyn Renwick – Conservative 

Walton, Brampton and Boythorpe

• Adele Downer – Chesterfield Independents
• Alexandra Fawbert – Labour
• Jacob Rodgers – Conservative
• Tom Snowdon – Liberal Democrat
• David Wadsworth – Green Party
• Helen Ward – Reform UK

Derbyshire Dales
Ashbourne South

• Georgina Blair – Green Party
• Steve Bull – Conservative
• Alexy King – Labour
• Jeremy Ruse – Reform UK
• Robin Shirtcliffe – Liberal Democrat
• Gavin Webb – Independent

Bakewell 

• Max Bethell – Reform UK
• Neil Buttle – Green Party
• Claire Cadogan – Liberal Democrat
• Diane Fletcher – Labour
• Alasdair Sutton – Conservative

Derwent Valley 

• Ian Barfield – Liberal Democrat
• Kate Burnett – Reform UK
• Susan Hobson – Conservative
• Laura Mellstrom – Green Party
• Trevor Page – Labour

Dovedale and Ashbourne North

• Nick Adams – Reform UK
• Peter Dobbs – Liberal Democrat
• John Hill – Green Party
• Stuart Lees – Conservative 
• Lucy Peacock – Labour

Matlock

• Sue Burfoot – Liberal Democrat
• Gareth Gee – Conservative 
• Sarah Halliwell – Labour
• Nicola Peltell – Green Party
• Juliette Stevens – Reform UK

Wirksworth

• John Green – Green Party
• Adrian Hunter – Reform UK
• Jason Knighton – Liberal Democrat
• Dermot Murphy – Conservative 
• Richard Oliver – Labour

Erewash
Breadsall and West Hallam

• Neil Barnes – Labour
• Kendal Greaves – Green Party
• Carol Hart – Conservative 
• Ian Mcleod – Reform UK
• Robert Mee – Liberal Democrat

Breaston

• Garry Hickton – Conservative 
• John Lawson – Reform
• Greg Maskalick – Labour
• Ann Mills – Green Party
• Alexander Richards – Liberal Democrat

Ilkeston Central 

• David Dodson – Liberal Democrat
• Robert Flatley – Conservative 
• Josy Hare – Labour 
• Richard Hatfield – Reform UK
• Heather Hierons – Green Party

Ilkeston North

• Linda Burns – Labour
• Lauren Mckie – Green Party
• Dan Price – Reform UK
• Angela Togni – Liberal Democrat
• Michael White – Conservative

Ilkeston South and Kirk Hallam

• James Dawson – Labour
• Deena Draycott – Green Party
• Simon Mabbott – Reform UK
• Kevin Miller – Conservative
• Jennifer Smith – Liberal Democrat

Long Eaton North

• Jack Bradley – Reform UK
• George Carr-Williamson – Labour
• Bethan Eddy – Conservative
• Jane Oseman – Liberal Democrat
• Graham Tavener – Green Party

Long Eaton South

• Rachel Allen – Liberal Democrat
• Jodie Brown – Reform UK
• Joel Bryan – Labour
• Mell Catori – Green Party
• Lorna Maginnis – Conservative

Sandiacre

• Daisy Forster – Labour
• Wayne Major – Conservative
• Dan Naylor – Reform UK
• Kristopher Watts – Liberal Democrat

Sawley

• James Archer – Liberal Democrat
• Dave Doyle – Labour
• Paul Maginnis – Conservative
• Ian Peatfield – Reform UK

High Peak
Buxton North and East

• Lisa Adamson – Green Party
• Louise Glasscoe – Liberal Democrat
• Rachael Quinn – Labour
• Melandra Smith – Reform UK
• Fredrick Walton – Conservative

Buxton South and West

• Paul Bohan – Green Party
• Linda Grooby – Conservative 
• Charles Lloyd – Independent
• Nigel Penn – Reform UK
• Jane Simm – Liberal Democrat
• Martin Willey – Labour

Chapel and Hope Valley

• Jason Adshead – Green Party
• Sally De Pee – Labour
• Michael Eyre – Reform UK
• Nigel Gourlay – Local Conservative
• Thomas Vaughan – Liberal Democrat

Etherow 

• Tony Brookes – Conservative
• Lucy Hudson – Labour
• Jason Isherwood – Reform UK
• Eileen Reynolds – Green Party

Glossop North

• Stewart Gardner – Labour
• Lee Smith – Reform UK
• Linda Walker – Green Party
• Jean Wharmby – Conservative 
• Stephen Worrall – Liberal Democrat

Glossop South

• Peter Allen – Green Party
• Damien Greenhalgh – Labour
• Phil Hesketh – Reform UK
• Adie Hopkinson – Conservative
• Jonathan Parrott – Liberal Democrat

New Mills and Hayfield

• Anne Clarke – Labour
• Charles Jevon – Liberal Democrat
• Virginia Priestley – Conservative 
• Antony Prodromis – Reform UK
• Jeremy Wight – Green Party

Whaley Bridge

• Matthew Firth – Green Party
• Ruth George – Independent
• David Lomax – Liberal Democrat
• Luke Norton – Reform UK
• Jacky Sidebottom – Conservative
• Jo Taylor – Labour

North East Derbyshire
Clay Cross and Tupton

• John Cooper – Labour
• Kieran Harley – Green Party
• Stephen Reed – Reform UK
• Yvonne Shaw – Conservative
• Ross Shipman – Independent

Dronfield and Unstone

• Alex Dale – Conservative
• Naila Dracup – Green Party
• Michael Dungworth – Independent
• Louis Hutchinson – Reform UK
• Simon Temple – Liberal Democrat
• Jonathan Williams – Labour

Dronfield Woodhouse and Walton

• Angelique Foster – Conservative 
• Ross Griffin – Labour
• Roger Hall – Reform UK
• Gill Mellor – Green Party
• Camille Ramshaw – Independent
• Martin Wilcock – Liberal Democrat

Eckington and Coal Aston

• Jackie Foster – Independent
• Mark Foster – Conservative 
• June Hancock – Independent
• Jamie Hodgson – Reform UK
• Henry Jebb – Liberal Democrat
• David Kesteven – Green Party
• Steve Pickering – Labour

Killmarsh and Renishaw

• Teddy Adlington-Stringer – Green Party
• David Elsdon – Reform UK
• Carol Lacey – Labour
• Alex Platts – Conservative
• Roger Shelley – Liberal Democrat
• Keith Windley – Independent
• North Wingfield, Pilsley and Morton
• Rowan Adlington – Green Party
• Richard Embrey – Conservative
• Kevin Gillott – Labour
• David Hancock – Independent
• Darren Muizelaar – Reform UK

Shirland and Wingerworth

• Frank Adlington-Stringer – Green Party
• Bob Cushing – Labour
• Barry Lewis – Conservative
• Heather Liggett – Independent
• Paul Parkin – Reform UK

Sutton

• Antony Bingham – Independent
• John Harris – Green Party
• Robert Reaney – Reform UK
• Dave Sankey – Conservative 
• Catherine Tite – Labour

South Derbyshire
Aston

• Daniel Corbin – Conservative
• Alex Davenport – Liberal Democrat
• Alan Graves – Reform UK
• Ed Green – Labour

Etwall and Findern

• Jayne Davies – Liberal Democrat
• Martyn Ford – Conservative
• Tom Handy – Reform UK
• Alan Jones – Labour

Hilton

• Grahame Andrew – Liberal Democrat
• Joe Coney – Labour
• Andrew Kirke – Conservative
• Sam Redfern – Reform UK

Linton

• Ian Baker – Reform UK
• Russell Eagling – Liberal Democrat
• Matthew Gotheridge – Conservative
• Marie Haywood – Labour
• Amy Wheelton – Independent

Melbourne and Woodville

• Andy Dawson – Labour
• Charlotte Hill – Reform UK
• John James – Liberal Democrat
• David Muller – Conservative

Repton and Stenson

• Neil Atkin – Conservative
• Matthew Benfield – Reform UK
• Stephen Hardwick – Liberal Democrat
• Lakhvinder Singh – Labour

Swadlincote East

• Angela Archer – Labour
• Martin Bromley – Reform UK
• Jacque Geddes – Conservative
• Jonathan Panes – Liberal Democrat

Swadlincote South 

• Alan Haynes – Labour
• James Laing – Liberal Democrat
• Paul Oxberry – Reform UK
• Stuart Swann – Conservative

Swadlincote West

• David Bell – Conservative
• Richard Haywood – Labour
• Tilo Scheel – Liberal Democrat
• Joseph Turrell – Reform UK

The deadline to register to vote is 11.59pm on Friday, April 11th. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Monday, April 14th and to apply for a vote by proxy the deadline is 5pm Wednesday, April 23rd. People voting in person will be required to show a valid form of photo ID.