A BY-ELECTION to fill the seat left by a Valleys councillor who resigned for personal reasons could be little over a month away.

Independent Blackwood councillor Kevin Etheridge, who was first elected as a county councillor in the town in 1999, quit last week citing "personal reasons."

Mr Etheridge's father Ken died last month aged 89 and he also makes frequent trips to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London where his grandson is getting treatment for a genetic condition.

He said he now wants to focus on his family.

A meeting of Caerphilly's full council will discuss a report about the resignation at a meeting on April 27 and can formally declare a vacancy in the ward and call an election within 35 working days.

Alternatively, any two registered voters from the borough can requisition an election, again triggering the 35-day election time frame.

This time allows people to declare their intention to stand.

Former Blackwood town mayor Andrew Farina-Childs has already said he intends to fight for the seat as a Plaid Cymru candidate and Nigel Dix, himself a Blackwood councillor until May 2008, has become the latest person to confirm their interest.

Mr Dix, 48, said he is looking to seek nomination to fight for the vacant seat as a Labour candidate.

He stood as a town councillor between 2001 and 2009 and was a borough councillor from 2004 until 2008.

Mr Dix said: "I'm giving people a chance to have a councillor who will hold these two incumbent councillors (Keith Smallman and Kay Presley) and Plaid Cymru to account."

A spokeswoman for the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales said it is investigating a complaint about Mr Etheridge, but could not confirm the nature of the complaint or when a decision is due.