All of Herefordshire’s 53 wards (county council areas) are up for grabs at local elections on May 4. Over the next two weeks we’ll be profiling each, area by area. Firstly, the four wards of northwest Herefordshire. Incumbents are in bold.

Kington

  • HAMILTON, Helen Elizabeth (Green Party)
  • HAWKINS, Fred (unaffiliated)
  • JAMES, Terry (Liberal Democrats)
  • SAUNDERS, Natasha Victoria (Local Conservatives)

Consisting of the town and its rural hinterland to the west, this ward has for many years been held by leader of the Liberal Democrats in Herefordshire and former council leader Terry James.

In a two-way fight with the Conservatives last time in 2019, Coun James took over 80 per cent of the vote. This time the Greens and an unaffiliated candidate are also standing. But an upset remains unlikely.

Arrow

  • CIOLTE, Dan (Liberal Democrats)
  • PHILLIPS, Roger James (Local Conservatives)
  • WHITELEGG, John (Green Party)

Incorporating much of the previous ward of Pembridge & Lyonshall With Titley, this has also for many years been held by a former council and party leader, Coun Roger Phillips of the Conservatives.

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Coun Phillips also enjoyed a majority of around 80 per cent against his sole Labour opponent in 2019. This time, opposition comes from sustainable transport expert Professor John Whitelegg for the Greens, and Dan Ciolte of the LibDems, also re-standing as a Ross-on-Wye town councillor.

Mortimer

  • COOMBER, Callum William (Green Party)
  • GANDY, Carole (Local Conservatives)
  • ROBERTS, Susan Jane (Liberal Democrats)

Another Conservative stronghold, this ward which includes the villages of Leintwardine and Wigmore has been represented since 2015 by Coun Carole Gandy, who took over 50 per cent of votes in a three-way contest last time.

As with Arrow, opposition comes from the Greens and the LibDems, who have put forward another Ross town councillor, former mayor Jane Roberts.

Bircher

  • BOWEN, Sebastian (Independent)
  • HURCOMB, Dan (Local Conservatives)
  • POPE, Angharad Beverly (Liberal Democrats)
  • SMITH-WINNARD, Tessa (Green Party)

Including the villages of Orleton and Yarpole, this ward has been held for the past 20 years by the council’s current chairperson Sebastian Bowen, a member of the True Independents grouping.

Last time Coun Bowen got the highest share of the vote in the county with over 94 per cent, suggesting an upset here is also unlikely.

Dan Hurcomb is the Tories’ chairman in North Herefordshire, while Bev Pope is also re-standing as a LibDem councillor for Ross town council, and Tessa Smith-Winnard is doing likewise for the Greens on Leominster town council.

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