Town election postponed after candidate dies

An election for a council seat - which was due to be held on Thursday - has been postponed following the death of a candidate.

John Ratcliffe was standing for the Liberal Democrats in the Higham Ferrers ward of North Northamptonshire Council.

A date has yet to be set but the poll must be held before 23 June 2025.

The returning officer, who is in charge of overseeing the elections, offered her condolences to Mr Ratcliffe's family.

Mr Ratcliffe was one of 11 candidates fighting for two Higham Ferrers seats on the unitary authority.

The whole council is up for election on Thursday.

Returning officer Adele Wylie said: "We send our sincere condolences to John's family and our thoughts are with them at this sad time.

"By law, we must now postpone the election for Higham Ferrers ward on North Northamptonshire Council.

"The other candidates and electors have been made aware."

Ms Wylie added that the date for the rearranged election would be announced in due course and voters would get new poll cards.

The council said any postal votes that had already been submitted for the ward would not be counted and new voting forms would be sent to those who had registered to vote by post.

Elections for the Chichele Ward of Higham Ferrers Town Council and the parish council of Chelveston will be going ahead as planned.

Two polling stations will be open - at Hope Methodist Church in Higham Ferrers and Chelveston Village Hall.

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