Published 30/10/2026 By William Turtle-Clark

Ledbury Town Council is preparing for another attempt to elect a local representative after a recent by-election was cancelled due to a complete lack of candidates.

The town council has faced a ongoing shortage of members for several years, with only 10 of its 18 seats currently filled.

A scheduled by-election for the Ledbury South ward on 12 November was called off when no candidates stepped forward. A previous by-election in Ledbury West saw just one candidate, Barry Hill, elected unopposed.

Herefordshire Council, acting as the electoral authority for the county, has now confirmed that a new by-election for the vacant Ledbury South seat will be held on Thursday, 10 December, provided the seat is contested.

Prospective candidates must hand-deliver their nomination papers to the Electoral Services Office on Plough Lane in Hereford by 16:00 on Friday, 13 November.

The vacancy follows a wave of departures earlier this year, during which two members resigned while Councillors Lesley Wilkinson and Joe Hamblin were co-opted by existing colleagues to keep total membership at 10.

The shortage mirrors the outcome of the May 2023 local elections, where all 10 councillors were returned uncontested without a formal vote taking place. Full elections for all parish, town, and ward seats across Herefordshire are scheduled for next May.