For the last few weeks doorsteps around Carlisle have been turned into a hotbed of political debate.

Whether it be Labour, the Conservatives, UKIP, the Liberal Democrats or a range of independent councillors, residents throughout the city will no doubt have found activists prowling the pavements and cul-de-sacs of Carlisle looking to persuade anyone and everyone to vote for them.

Those hardy candidates and supporters will find out tomorrow (THU) whether their efforts have translated into votes and ultimately seats on Carlisle City Council.

Not every seat in the council chamber is up for grabs though as the authority elects a third of its members at a time. This time around there's seats 17  being contested in the council's 22 wards.

Residents in Belah, Belle Vue, Botcherby, Brampton, Castle, Currock, Dalston, Denton Holme, Great Corby and Geltsdale, Harraby, Hayton, Morton, St Aidan's, Stanwix Urban, Upperby, Wetheral and Yewdale are being asked to vote tomorrow.

Despite not every seat being on the line, a shift in power is still an option.

Labour are the biggest party in the council chamber and have a majority, holding 28 of the 52 seats. The Conservatives - who have 20 councillors - will however, be looking to pull that power away from their rivals and are fielding candidates in every ward that's up for election.

Those standing overall range from big names in the city's local government - including Colin Glover, leader in the latest administration, who is up for election in Currock. 

Lee Sherriff, who was the city's Labour candidate in last year's general election, is standing in Harraby. 

A number of big names are standing down this year, including the council's deputy leader Elsie Martlew who is calling it a day in Castle, and Donald Cape in Upperby.

Another councillor standing down is William Graham, who has sat as an independent member for Hayton since 1995. While on the authority he has also been the leader of the independent group.

One thing every candidate will be hoping for however, is a buck in the trend of low turnouts in the last few elections.

In five of the last seven elections the turnout has been below 39 per cent with the two occasions where it was higher - 63 per cent last year and 64 per cent in 2010 - happening at the same time as general elections. The lowest turnout was just 33 per cent in 2012.


Polling stations

Polling takes place between 7am and 10pm.

Four Carlisle polling stations have been changed from their usual locations:

  • West End Temperance Hall, Hawick Street, Carlisle, is not available due to the effects of the December floods. The new polling station is a portable cabin, at Paddy’s Market Car Park, Shaddongate
  • St Aidan’s Church Hall, Victoria Place, is not available due to the floods. The new polling station is St Aidan’s Church, Warwick Road
  • Fir End School, Smithfield, is longer available for use as a polling station. The new polling station is Skitby House, Kirklinton
  • Westfield House, Roweltown, is no longer available for use as a polling station. The new polling station is Shankhill School, Hethersgill

Some polling stations within flood affected areas will be in the same locations but may be based within portable buildings.


John Mallinson, leader of the Conservative group on the city council, urged people to turn out and cast their vote. 

"I would say this is your one opportunity to influence local government in the city and I believe you should take that," he says. 

"I think it's concerning to many of us councillors that we are elected on relatively small turnouts and I would urge people that your local council can make a difference so if you can get out and vote please do. It will allow you to bring about the council you want to see running this city do the things you want them to do."

Mr Mallinson's thoughts are echoed by Anne Quilter, the Labour councillor for St Aidan's and the council's portfolio holder for culture, leisure and young people.

"Whatever your political persuasion I can't understand people not turning out to vote," she says.

"You get a lot of people moaning about the Government, or the crime commissioner and whether we're in or out of Europe is a big topic at the moment, but turnout can be so low and that's very disappointing. People sometimes have a lot to say but then don't use their vote when it counts.

"We have things like postal votes now too, so there's lots of opportunities to vote for what you believe in and I think people should take that opportunity."

Ms Quilter adds that she also believes that the Labour group on the city council had a good track record and hopes residents would be voting for her party in these elections.

These elections are also of crucial importance to the Liberal Democrats, who are defending their only seat in the council chamber. Trevor Allison is hoping to retain the Dalston ward and keep the party alive in the authority.

He's up against Conservative Robert Mitchell and Labour's Ray Warwick.

Another prominent local Lib Dem, Patricia Bell, who is the deputy leader of the county council and represents Penrith East, said it's very important the party strives to retain seats and win new ones. 

"Last year's general election was an extremely disappointing time, but since then many new people have joined the Liberal Democrats nationally and locally, giving us the opportunity to rebuild," she said.

"You only have to see the devastation caused by the Conservatives nationally in the last year - take benefits, housing and schools as just three examples - to realise what a moderating influence Lib Dems must have been when we shared power.

"At a local level we have a good track record of working in administration with others to sort out the mess resulting from the Government's recent austerity decisions.

"In particular the mess resulting from the Government's lack of understanding of rural Cumbria and the fact that their policies are designed for unitary authorities. Government has forgotten we are still a two tier authority."


ballot box photo

THE CANDIDATES

Belah

  • Paul Birks - Labour
  • Robert Hugh Charlesworth - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts
  • Phil Douglass - Ukip
  • Penelope Bothepa Foster - Green Party
  • David Douglass Morton - Conservative

Belle Vue

  • Robert Gordon Currie - Conservative
  • Les Tickner - Labour

Botcherby

  • Jeffery Thomas Bomford - Independent
  • Lawrence Neil Fisher - Conservative
  • Anne Glendinning - Labour
  • Henry Bryson Goodwin - Green Party

Brampton

  • David Edward Brooks - Labour
  • John James Harding - Ukip
  • Stephen James Layden - Conservative
  • Olwyn Doreen Luckly - Liberal Democrat
  • Richard Kevin O'Brien - Green Party

Castle

  • Melissa Andrews - Conservative
  • Manny Begum - Liberal Democrat
  • Joanna Coleman - Labour
  • Robert Reid-Sinclair - Ukip
  • Alan Benjamin Simpson - Green Party

Currock

  • Helen Elizabeth Atkinson - Green Party
  • John Gordon Denholm - Ukip
  • Colin William Glover - Labour
  • Brent Kennedy - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts
  • Neville John Lishman - Conservative
  • Marjorie Richardson - Liberal Democrat

Dalston

  • Trevor Allison - Liberal Democrat
  • Robert Geoffrey Mitchell - Conservative
  • Ray Warwick - Labour

Denton Holme

  • Ruth Alcroft - Labour
  • Neil Boothman - Green Party
  • Barbara Eden - Conservative
  • Grahame Higginson - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts
  • John Duncan Warmingham - Ukip

Great Corby and Geltsdale

  • Michael Anthony Gee - Liberal Democrat
  • Sky Fiona Higgins - Green Party
  • Alan Robert McGuckin - Labour
  • Doreen Heather Parsons - Conservative

Harraby

  • Philip Guy Chappelhow - Ukip
  • Daniel David Little - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts
  • Michael Randall - Conservative
  • Lee Barbara Sherriff - Labour

Hayton

  • Richard Sebastian Hunt - Green Party
  • Keith Meller - Conservative
  • Raymond Tinnion - Independent

Morton

  • David James Barton - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts
  • Fiona Rachel Mills - Ukip
  • Rob Morrison - Green Party
  • Peter Noble - Liberal Democrats
  • Therese Sidgwick - Labour
  • Charlotte Ann Smallwood - Conservative

St Aidans

  • Geoffrey Laurence Osborne - Conservative
  • David Steven Parker - Ukip
  • Lucy Patrick - Labour
  • John Bernard Reardon - Green Party

Stanwix Urban

  • Helen Davison - Green Party
  • Brendan Murphy - Liberal Democrat
  • Paul Nigel Hamilton Nedved - Conservative
  • Stephen Sidgwick - Labour

Upperby

  • Shaidat Danmole-Ellis - Conservative
  • Christine Holliday - Ukip
  • Niall Daniel McNulty - Labour
  • James Ernest Osler - Liberal Democrat
  • Daniel Michael Thorburn - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts

Wetheral

  • Annia Chloe Banks - Labour
  • Barry Oglivie Earp - Conservative
  • Hazel Jane Graham - Green Party
  • Geoff Round - Ukip
  • David John Wood - Liberal Democrat

Yewdale

  • David John Bradley - Green Party
  • Malcolm Fraser Craik - Ukip
  • Christina Agnes Finlayson - Conservative
  • Maureen Frances McDonald - Labour