Waveney candidates seeking to win your vote on May 2
The HQ of Suffolk County Council - Endeavour House in Ipswich - Credit: Archant
Political parties in Waveney are vying for votes at next month's Suffolk County Council elections which could see a change in the electoral status quo.
This year's election on May 2 involves 13 seats across Waveney's eight divisions and could be one of the most unpredictable elections in recent years.
The last election in 2009 saw the Conservatives clinch all but one of the seats for Waveney, with UKIP gaining the other seat.
And across Suffolk the Conservatives took 55 out of 75 seats – a feat most political commentators say will not be repeated.
In Waveney, UKIP, Labour and the Green Party hope they can all swoop to victory in some divisions – or at the very least dent Conservative votes across the district.
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Labour strategists hope a 5pc swing from the 2009 election could see them gain at least 24 seats county-wide at the election, with divisions such as Lowestoft South and Pakefield up for grabs.
The last election saw Labour only gain four seats across Suffolk.
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Although the party hopes to gain up to 24 seats this time around, analysis of district and borough council elections in Suffolk from 2011 predicts it could end up with 16 seats – 12 more than 2009's results.
And UKIP hopes voters may desert the Conservatives across Waveney, with the party putting up eight candidates in all the Lowestoft divisions, including current county councillor for Lowestoft South Bill Mountford.
And a swing to UKIP by Conservative voters could open the way for Labour's attempt to gain more seats across Waveney.
In Beccles, Green candidate Graham Elliott hopes he can repeat on his success at the last Waveney District Council election for the town and win a seat on the county council – with 12 other fellow candidates across the region hoping their focus on what local people are concerned about will help them at polling booths.
And the Liberal Democrats leader Dave Woods also hopes his party's focus on local issues will attract votes.
However, despite some Conservatives' concerns over the election results, and the impact especially of UKIP, party leaders are in an upbeat mood.
Party leader Mark Bee and new deputy Lisa Chambers say the message they are getting from the electorate is that voters like their pledge of a four-year council tax freeze and feel their policies are generally supported.
anthony.carroll@archant.co.uk
