Full list of Taunton Town Council election candidates 2023

Under the local government reforms of the mid-1970s, Taunton was left as an unparished area – meaning it had no town or parish council to most closely represent its residents.

As part of the creation of the new unitary Somerset Council (which came into being officially on April 1), this wrong will be corrected, with a new Taunton Town Council being created.

The first elections to Taunton Town Council – also known as Taunton Parish Council –  will be held on Thursday, May 4.

Following the closure of nominations, the full list of candidates has now been published.

Both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are fielding 20 candidates across the 14 wards, followed by Labour with 13 candidates, three independents and two Green Party candidates.

The ward boundaries and names for the new Taunton Town Council. (Image: Somerset Council)

Four current unitary councillors are standing to become ‘twin hatters’ (meaning they have a seat on both the town and unitary councils) – Tom Deakin (division member for Taunton North), Caroline Ellis (Bishop’s Hull and Taunton West), Diogo Rodrigues (Bridgwater East and Bawdrip) and Federica Smith-Roberts (Taunton East).

A number of former Somerset West and Taunton councillors are also standing – including current mayor of Taunton Sue Lees and her husband Richard Lees.

Here are all the candidates which will be standing on May 4. Current unitary councillors are highlighted in italic:

Blackbrook and Holway ward (two councillors)

Brendan Floyde (Conservative)

Henry Haslam (Conservative)

Penny James (Labour)

Sue Lees (Liberal Democrat)

Chris Salter (Green)

Federica Smith-Roberts (Liberal Democrat)

Comeytrowe ward (two councillors)

Rosie Brown (Conservative)

Neil Guild (Labour)

Simon Lester (Liberal Democrat)

Diogo Rodrigues (Conservative)

Judy Stainthorpe (Liberal Democrat)

Keith Woodmason (Independent)

Halcon and Lane ward (two councillors)

James Clark (Conservative)

Stanley Ely (Labour)

Lauren Salter (Conservative)

Martin Straus (Liberal Democrat)

Ray Tully (Liberal Democrat)

Lyngford ward (one councillor)

Simon Clarke (Liberal Democrat)

Brenda Weston (Labour)

Neil Whisler (Conservative)

Maidenbrook ward (one councillor)

Richard Bennett (Independent)

Giuseppe Fraschini (Conservative)

Rob Isaacs (Liberal Democrat)

Manor and Tangier ward (one councillor)

Bev Fernandes (Liberal Democrat)

Matthew Ravenhill Labour)

Ernest Terry (Conservative)

North Town ward (one councillor)

Paul Cram (Conservative)

Caroline Ellis (Liberal Democrat)

Mark Wood (Labour)

Obridge ward (one councillor)

Tom Deakin (Liberal Democrat)

Robert Rawle (Labour)

Jason Woolacott (Conservative)

Pyrland ward (one councillor)

Jean Allgrove (Conservative)

Gemma Evans (Liberal Democrat)

Rowan Thorne (Labour)

Staplegrove ward (one councillor)

Ed Firmin (Liberal Democrat)

Jonathan Gray (Labour)

Simon Moon (Independent)

Edward Tucker (Conservative)

Victoria ward (two councillors)

Michael Asher (Conservative)

Dilly Bradley (Conservative)

Richard Lees (Liberal Democrat)

Libby Lisgo (Labour)

Paul Tooze (Liberal Democrat)

Vivary ward (two councillors)

Liam Canham (Labour)

Laurence Forgham (Conservative)

Amber Packer-Hughes (Liberal Democrat)

Connor Solle (Liberal Democrat)

Gemma Verdon (Conservative)

Wellsprings and Rowbarton ward (two councillors)

Alan Debenham (Green)

Carl Dixon (Conservative)

Adam Elliott (Conservative)

Marcia Hill (Liberal Democrat)

Nick O’Donnell (Liberal Democrat)

Estelle Smillie (Labour)

Wilton and Sherford ward (one councillor)

Robert Ewers (Labour)

Vanessa Garside (Liberal Democrat)

Ruth Harmon (Conservative)

To register to vote in the town council elections, visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote before 11:59pm on April 17.

For more information on the election, visit www.somerset.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/taunton-parish-council.