Two parties aim to scoop more seats at Arun elections

Tories looking set to concede ground in May’s election.

Out of the town’s four major wards, Beach, River, Brookfield and Courtwick/Toddington, the Conservatives are fielding only five candidates.

While Labour and the Liberals are pushing with almost double that, with ten and nine candidates standing for election, respectively.

The move mirrors the town council’s elections, which, regardless of May’s outcome, will see the Tories lose their majority in the authority (see page 6 for details), with the party only able to take a maximum of five of the 15 seats.

Some of the Tories’ major Arun hitters in the town, like David Britton, June Caffyn, Carol Emberson, Joyce Bowyer, and Jacky Pendleton, are no longer standing for district seats.

While former mayor and Beach ward councillor, Emma Neno, is heading off to stand alongside her father, Graham Tyler, as Rustington East’s prospective councillors.

Elsewhere, long-standing Arundel Conservative councillor, Don Ayling, is stepping down from the seat, alongside East Preston’s Dennis Wilde and Barnham’s Jean Goad and Dougal Maconachie – who is standing in Marine Ward.

Rustington West’s Florence Harrison is also stepping down.

The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) is making a push for the town, however, not as much as some had anticipated.

Following on from the party’s success at the county council elections in 2013, UKIP is posting only three candidates in the town.

While the Green Party and Independents are also hoping for boosts to the council, with a sizeable turnout across the district, standing for election.

Arun has 23 wards contesting in this year’s election, which will be held on May 7.

The Tories currently hold 45 seats, compared with the Lib Dems’ four and Labour and the Independents’ three. The Green Party has one seat, after former Liberal, Simon McDougall, defected late last year.

For full election details, see here.