By-election triggered after councillor moves away from county

A by-election has been announced for a Leicestershire borough to replace a councillor who is moving out of the county. Councillor Faye Forde was elected to represent residents in the Sileby and Seagrave ward on Charnwood Borough Council at the local elections in May 2023, but has now resigned due to “personal circumstances”.

The local authority has scheduled a by-election for Councillor Forde’s seat, which will be held on Thursday October 31. In a statement published on Facebook, the Green Party councillor told residents it had “been an honour to serve as one of [their] local councillors”.

She said she had “loved every minute” of being an elected member, and that the decision to resign had been a difficult one but she believed it to be the right thing to do. She added: “Unfortunately, my personal circumstances have changed and I will no longer be living in the area.

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"I did not think it was right that I try to represent you whilst living almost 100 miles away. You deserve to be represented by someone who lives in the area and can continue our proactive, hands-on work in the community."

Councillor Forde went on to thank people for their support over the years, and said she "appreciated every 'good luck' and every 'thank you' since [she and her fellow Greens] started campaigning in Sileby and Seagrave more than three years ago". Sileby and Seagrave is currently represented by two other Green Party councillors, Naomi Bottomley and Geoff Lawrence.

Steve Bellamy has been announced as the Green Party candidate for the by-election. Nominations for candidates to run in the by-election must be submitted to the council by 4pm on Friday, October 4.

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