Five wards in the west of Hereford north of the river are being contested in council elections on May 4. Here is our guide to each. Incumbent councillors are in bold.

Kings Acre

  • ANDREWS, Graham (Independent)
  • HOBBS, Debbie (Liberal Democrats)
  • MURPHY, James William (Independent)
  • WILLIAMS, Robert Geofrey Charles (The Conservative Party Candidate)

Extending northwest from the city between the Roman Road and A438 King’s Acre Road, this ward was created only in 2015 and has since been twice won by different independents.

In 2019 Graham Andrews, now of Independents for Herefordshire, got more than twice the votes of his Conservative opponent Rob Williams, who he faces again this time, along with True Independents candidate Jim Murphy.

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Rob Williams, already a city councillor, and Debbie Hobbs are also contesting the sole Kings Acre seat on the city council.

Bobblestock

  • BUTLER, Clive Richard (The Conservative Party Candidate)
  • CODA, Anna (Labour Party)
  • OWENS, Rob (Liberal Democrats)
  • PRICE, Tim (Independent)

Tim Price of the True Independents convincingly defeated his sole opponent, the Conservative incumbent Clive Butler, on a low 26 per cent turnout last time.

This time round he also faces Labour’s Anna Coda, who has stood three times against Jesse Norman for the city’s parliamentary constituency, and Rob Owens for the LibDems, who has already been reappointed for the same ward on the city council.

Widemarsh

  • ANDREWS, Polly (Liberal Democrats)
  • BARRINGTON, Neil (The Labour Party Candidate)
  • GUNNER, Mick (Reform UK)
  • HANDBY, Kathy (The Conservative Party Candidate)

Already retaining her role as a city councillor for the same ward, Polly Andrews has held this county ward for the LibDems since its creation in 2015.

Labour’s Neil Barrington has also joined Lower Bullingham parish council unopposed.

Reform UK’s Mick Gunner meanwhile stood for UKIP in this ward last time, taking 20 per cent of the vote.

Greyfriars

  • CLARK, Neil Christopher (Independent)
  • FARMER, Keith (Conservative Party Candidate)
  • LANE, Matt (Liberal Democrats)
  • TOYNBEE, Diana (Green Party)

Currently the council’s cabinet holder for children’s and family services, Diana Toynbee took this ward immediately north of the Wye with over twice the votes of her nearest, Independent rival last time. The Conservatives’ Keith Farmer meanwhile came fourth in neighbouring Whitecross ward.

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As city councillor for the same ward, Coun Toynbee faces a challenge from the LibDems’ Matt Lane here also.

Neil Clark does not appear to be affiliated to either the Independents for Herefordshire or True Independents groups.

Whitecross

  • BARNSLEY, Marsha Elizabeth (The Conservative Party Candidate)
  • BOULTER, Dave (It's Our County: Independent Organised Capable)
  • KUPELI, Billie (Labour Party)
  • MAYES, Emma (Liberal Democrats)
  • SMITH, Richard Barrington (REFORM UK)

This ward was actually won in 2019 by Dave Boulter’s wife Sue, then the city’s mayor and still a city councillor, before it emerged that a work commitment disqualified her from the county role.

In the resulting byelection two months later, Mr Boulter took the ward with an increased share of the vote.

An unusually busy field this time includes the LibDems’ Emma Mayes who is also standing against Sue Boulter for the same city council ward.