Erewash Labour By-election candidates revealed

By-elections will be held on May 1st 2025 to elect three new councillors to Erewash Borough Council. Erewash Labour have expressed pride in announcing three candidates in the by-elections for seats on Erewash Borough Council taking place on May 1st 2025.

They are Denise Mellors in Nottingham Road, Paul Opiah in Cotmanhay and Richard Pollard in Kirk Hallam & Stanton-by-Dale. 

Denise Mellors previously served as a borough councillor in Long Eaton from 2011 to 2023,  and at one point was leader of the council’s Labour Group. She has been described as: "...a tried-and-tested, experienced hard-worker" and will be again for the people of Nottingham Road. 

Paul Opiah is the editor of the Ilkeston Life local newspaper, founder of Ilkeston’s Glow Festival, and key member of the Friends of Ilkeston Town Centre. He runs a small business on Bath Street, and said that he knows exactly what is needed to revive town centres. 

Richard Pollard was born in Kirk Hallam, went to school in Kirk Hallam, and lives in Kirk Hallam. He is an engineer, working hard shifts at a factory in Derby and said: "Kirk Hallam deserves a councillor who knows the community, what it means, and what it needs – because local matters."

A statement from Erewash Labour said that their candidates stand out as they are truly local voices, and experienced champions for their communities, adding: "When making the decisions that really matter – like how to support our town centres, or not waste council tax payers’ money – people know they can trust the Erewash Labour Team."

The councillors standing down are Alex Breene in Cotmanhay, Emma Moore in Kirk Hallam, and Emma Plummer in Nottingham Road. All three made clear in their resignation letters that these resignations were for personal reasons. 

James Dawson, Leader of Erewash Borough Council, said: “Denise, Paul, and Richard will be excellent additions to our Erewash Labour Team on the borough council. All these candidates have the right experience, are proven hard workers, and are proper local voices – these are the kind of councillors we need, ones people know and trust.”

Adam Thompson, Member of Parliament for Erewash, said: “I work very closely with my friends and colleagues on Erewash Borough Council, and I know Denise, Paul, and Richard will be brilliant new additions to the Erewash Labour Team. These are absolutely the people I want to work with to make sure we can do important things like revive our town centres.”