Exeter City Council elections: Who is standing for election and where do I vote?

More than 50 polling stations will open around Exeter when the city goes to the polls next month.

All 13 of the council’s wards have at least one seat on the city council up for grabs in an election that very nearly didn’t happen. If you are an Exeter voter, your polling card will tell you which polling station to go to.
Voting takes place on Thursday May 7, and is only happening because the government changed its mind under the pressure of a legal challenge from Reform UK.
Exeter’s Labour administration, in common with a number of other councils up and down the country, had initially asked the government to postpone the elections, saying it would save the authority a quarter of a million pounds and free up officers to prepare for the forthcoming local government reorganisation.
Some argued that there was little point electing members of a ‘zombie’ council which would cease to exist in two years anyway.
But opponents said Labour was ‘running scared’, having done badly the last time the city went to the polls for the county council elections last year. They also said it was undemocratic to call off the elections this year.
The government originally agreed to dozens of elections across the country being called off, but then changed its mind to say they should go ahead after all.
The May elections will see a third of Exeter City Council’s 39 seats up for grabs. The authority works on a cycle which sees a third of its members elected each year, with a ‘fallow’ year every fourth year.
The current make-up of the council is that Labour hold 22 seats, with the combined opposition parties and independents holding the other 17. A bad night at the count for Labour – on a par with its wipeout in last year’s county elections – could see it losing its overall control of the city.
People who wish to vote in person, including those acting as a proxy on behalf of another individual, will be required to produce an accepted form of photographic ID to prove their identity before they can be issued with a ballot paper.
Some of the accepted forms of photographic ID are a passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country; a photographic driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state; a biometric immigration document; an identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card); a Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card); a Blue Badge; a national identity card issued by an EEA state; an Older Person’s Bus Pass; a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass; an Oyster 60+ Card or a Freedom Pass
Original documents are required, not copies or scanned images.
These are the Exeter polling stations: West Exe School, Hatherleigh Road, Exeter, EX2 9JU; Alphington Sports Club, Church Road, Exeter, EX2 8SW; Alphington Village Hall, Alphington Community Assoc, Ide Lane, Exeter, EX2 8UT; University of Exeter, Kay House, Lower Argyll Road, Exeter, EX4 4RG; Exeter Cricket Club Pavilion, Prince of Wales Road, Exeter, EX4 4PR; St Sidwell`s C of E Primary School, York Road, Exeter, EX4 6PG; St Gabriels C of E (Redhills), Landhayes Road, Exeter, EX4 2BY; Exwick Sports Hub, Exeter College, Exwick Road, Exeter, EX4 2BQ; Exwick Parish Hall, Station Road, Exeter, EX4 2FD; Exwick Community Centre, Kinnerton Way, Exeter, EX4 2PR; South West Baptist Assoc., Wonford Baptist Chapel, 36-38 Wonford Street, Exeter, EX2 5DL; Scout Hut, South Lawn Terrace, Exeter, EX1 2SN.
The Community Room, Ladysmith Infant School, Off Pretoria Road, Exeter, EX1 2PS; Community Room, Hamlin Gardens, Exeter, EX1 3AA; Community Centre, Bodley Close, Exeter, EX1 3LG; Beacon Heath Church, King Arthur`s Road, Exeter, EX4 9BE; The Beacon, Pendragon House, Beacon Lane, Exeter, EX4 8LZ; The Whipton Institute, 20 Whipton Village Road, Exeter, EX4 8AW; St Boniface Church, Brookway, Exeter, EX1 3JH; Victoria Park Club, Lyndhurst Road, Exeter, EX2 4NX; St Leonard`s Church Centre, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4NG; St Luke`s Campus, College Road, Exeter, EX1 2LT.
Belmont Chapel, Western Way, Exeter, EX1 2DB; Belmont Bowling Club, The Green, Blackboy Road, Exeter, EX4 6SS; Stoke Hill Junior School, Stoke Hill, Exeter, EX4 7DP; St James’ Church Hall, Mount Pleasant Road, Exeter, EX4 7AH; St Mark’s Church Hall, St Mark’s Avenue, Exeter, EX1 2PX; Baptist Church Hall, Pinhoe Road, Exeter, EX4 7HZ; Exeter Harriers Athletic Club, The Pavilion, Arena Park, Summer Lane, Exeter, EX4 8NT; Pinhoe Community Centre, America Hall & Sunnylands Room, De La Rue Way, Pinhoe, Exeter, EX4 8PX.
Pinhoe United Reformed Church, Old Pinn Lane, Exeter, Devon, EX1 3RF; St Luke’s Church of England School, Harts Lane, Exeter, EX1 3RD; Community Room, Grandisson Court, Off Bishop Westall Road, Exeter, EX2 6NJ; Countess Wear Village Hall, 28 School Lane, Exeter, EX2 6LB; Wynstream Primary School, Burnthouse Lane, Exeter, EX2 6AY; Wonford Methodist Church, Church Hall, Burnthouse Lane, Exeter, EX2 6NG; Sea Cadet HQ, Canal Banks, Haven Road, Exeter, EX2 8DU; Community Room, Abbeville Close, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4SJ.
Community Room, 66 Weavers Court, Exeter, EX2 4EF; Wesley Room, Mint Methodist Church, Fore Street, Exeter, EX4 3AT; Exeter Community Centre Trust, 17 St Davids Hill, Exeter, EX4 3RG; Clyst Heath Nursery & Community Primary School, Royal Crescent, Exeter, EX2 7QT; Woodwater Academy, Woodwater Lane, Exeter, EX2 5AW; St Peter`s High School, Quarry Lane, Exeter, EX2 5AP; Community Room, Russet House, Russet Avenue, Exeter, EX1 3QB.
Montgomery Primary School, Redvers Road, Exeter, EX4 1BS; St Thomas Church Hall, Church Road, Exeter, EX2 9BQ; St Thomas Church Hall, Church Road, Exeter, EX2 9BQ; St Thomas Baptist Church, Dorset Avenue, Exeter, EX4 1LZ; Bowhill Primary School, Buddle Lane, Exeter, EX4 1JT; Matthews Hall, Fore Street, Topsham, Exeter, EX3 0HF; Topsham Town AFC, Exeter Road, Exeter, EX3 0LT; 100 Club, Wear Barton Road, Exeter, EX2 7EH; Newcourt Community Centre, Blakeslee Drive, Exeter, EX2 7FN.
A total of 72 candidates will contest 14 seats in total.
There will be elections in each of the city’s 13 council wards, with one candidate to be elected in each apart from Heavitree, which will return two councillors as a result of a Green councillor having stood down from her seat in addition to the seat which was due to be contested anyway.
The full list of candidates standing in the 13 wards is:
Alphington – FINDLAY Lucy Jane, Labour and Co-operative Party; LUSCOMBE Kayleigh Michelle Suzanne, The Conservative Party Candidate; PALMER Jayden Simon, Reform UK; PICKIN JJ, Liberal Democrat; WOTTON Greg, Green Party Candidate
Duryard and St. James – HAWKE Jonathan Michael, Labour Party; HODGE David John, Reform UK; ISHAKOGLU Mithat, Green Party Candidate; MITCHELL Kevin John, Liberal Democrat; STANWELL-WISE Sebastian, The Conservative Party Candidate
Exwick – GILLETT Lee Matthew, Reform UK; HORNER Jamie Liam, Liberal Democrat; KNOTT Paul Graeme, Labour and Co-operative Party; LEGESSE Kalkidan, Green Party Candidate; LUSCOMBE David, The Conservative Party Candidate
Heavitree (two councillors to be elected) – BEER Tina Rose, Reform UK; BROCK Philip John, Liberal Democrat; MUTTON Dave, Labour Party; NEW Katherine Helen Judy, The Conservative Party Candidate; NEWBERY Jordan, Independent; NORRIS Lisa Jane, Reform UK; SMITH Stella, Green Party Candidate; SUTTON Rachel Helen, Labour Party; TERRY Helen, Green Party Candidate; TRUDGEON Colin John, The Conservative Party Candidate; WILLIAMS Nigel David, Liberal Democrat.
Mincinglake and Whipton – AYRES Martin, Green Party Candidate; CASEMORE Steve, Labour and Co-operative Party; PAYNE Anthony John, Reform UK; PAYNE Michael Geoffrey,  Liberal Democrat; THOMPSON David John, The Conservative Party Candidate.
Newtown and St. Leonard`s – CHELVANAYAGAM Bernadette, Green Party Candidate; PYE Jonny, Liberal Democrat; SMITH Ruth, The Conservative Party Candidate; VIZARD Matthew James, Labour Party; WESTLAKE Jo, Reform UK.
Pennsylvania – ACZEL Will, Liberal Democrat; BAKER Gill, Green Party Candidate; BATTERSHILL Michael Stephen, Reform UK; BLACK Paula Joan, Labour and Co-operative Party; HANNAFORD Rob, The Conservative Party Candidate; HATCHER Myles Jefferson, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.
Pinhoe – ALLEN Mark, Green Party Candidate; BALDWIN Ian Anthony, The Conservative Party Candidate; CAMPION Christine Anne, Liberal Democrats; MESSER Ashton Michael, Reform UK; WOOD Duncan, Labour and Co-operative Party.
Priory – ASVACHIN Marina Yvette, Labour Party; NEWBY Rob, The Conservative Party Candidate; THOMAS Philip Alexander, Liberal Democrat; VICKERS Jack David, Green Party Candidate; WILLIAMS Nicholas, Reform UK.
St. David`s – AL-SAKET Yasmine, The Conservative Party Candidate; CLOW Susan, Reform UK; CURNOCK Charles Anthony, Liberal Democrat; LELLIOTT Rose Alexandra, Labour and Co-operative Party; RAPPERT Brian, Green Party Candidate.
St. Loye`s – COLLACOTT Joan Marilyn, The Conservative Party Candidate; JHAVERI Laila, Labour Party; OWEN Christopher John Lambert, Reform UK; RICHARDS Paul Stephen, Liberal Democrats; WHIPPLE Chloe, Green Party Candidate
St. Thomas – COCKBURN Robert-James Stuart, Reform UK; NEWCOMBE Vanessa, Liberal Democrat; REED Jack, Green Party Candidate; STONE Caroline Elizabeth, The Conservative Party Candidate; WRIGHT Laura Charis Adelaide, Labour and Co-operative Party.
Topsham – COOKSON James Elie, Labour Party; DAVIES Sue, Reform UK; GAINSFORD Tim, Liberal Democrats; KEEN Ann Barbara, Green Party Candidate; THOMPSON Cynthia, The Conservative Party Candidate.