A NEW councillor will be elected this week to fill the vacancy on Monmouthshire County Council after Catherine Fookes was elected to Parliament. 

The Labour member became the county’s first female MP at July’s general election and she resigned her county council seat, representing the Monmouth Town ward, in September. 

Labour will remain the largest group on the county council but the Conservatives are targeting the seat and have selected Martin Newell, who won a by-election in the Town ward to Monmouth Town Council in June, as their candidate. 

Labour candidate Jackie Atkin is also a town councillor for the Town ward while the Green Party, which is in a coalition to lead the county council with Labour, has selected Paul Rollings as its candidate. 

Former Chepstow county councillor Jez Becker is the Liberal Democrat candidate. 

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 polls are open to registered voters aged 16 and over between 7am and 10pm. 

Full list of candidates   

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