FOUR candidates will fight it out to fill the seat formerly held by Monmouthshire MP Catherine Fookes on the county council. 

The Labour MP resigned from Monmouthshire County Council in September following her election to Parliament at July’s general election. 

She had represented the Monmouth Town ward since winning the newly created seat at the 2022 local government elections when Labour became the largest party at County Hall, and ousted the Conservative administration, but fell short of a majority finishing with 22 councillors. 

Labour has since agreed a coalition with the single Green Party councillor to help it run the 46 member council, but will face a Green Party challenger in the by-election in the form of Paul Rollings. 

Regardless of the result Labour will remain the largest group on the county council while victory for the Conservatives would take its number up to 19.   

The party has selected Martin Newell as its candidate and he is described as the “Local Conservatives” candidate on the nomination papers. 

He already represents the Town ward on Monmouth Town Council after winning a by-election, from Labour, in June this year. 

Labour’s candidate is Jackie Atkin while the Liberal Democrats have selected former Chepstow county councillor Jez Becker. 

Ms Fookes won the election in 2022 with 339 votes, which was a majority of 127 over the Conservatives while the Green Party won 39 votes with an independent third with 142. 

The election takes place on Thursday, October 24 and residents, aged 16 and over who aren’t registered to vote, have until 12 midnight on Tuesday, October 8, to do so and can register online at the UK Government website here.

Full list of candidates  

  • Jackie Atkin, Welsh Labour  
  • Jez Becker, Welsh Liberal Democrats 
  • Martin Jason Newell, Local Conservatives 
  • Paul Rollings, Green Party