Ex-councillor Bob Buchan begins legal bid over losing by 10 votes

An ex-councillor who lost his seat by 10 votes in May's local elections has begun a High Court challenge for a new by-election to be held.

Bob Buchan lost the Hartlepool Fens and Greatham ward to Labour's Jennifer Elliott by 609 votes to 619.

The former Independent Union councillor claims Labour campaign material falsely reported he had been in favour of a controversial housing development.

Ms Elliott denied the claims and has refused to stand down.

Mr Buchan lost out for one of three seats in Fens and Greatham.

He has lodged a High Court petition urging a re-run for the third seat, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Ms Elliott said she had no intention of standing down and would be "defending herself robustly regarding the allegation".

Ray Martin-Wells, Hartlepool Conservative Association's president and Mr Buchan's spokesman, said the challenge comes after claims made in Labour election material.

Mr Martin-Wells said a letter incorrectly claimed Mr Buchan had voted in favour of a development in Hill View in Greatham, which was approved by councillors in January, despite more than 100 objections.

The plans had previously been before councillors in July 2020 when they were rejected by four votes to three.

Mr Martin-Wells said Mr Buchan was not at the second meeting and voted against the initial application.

He said: "Obviously he lost by 10 votes, and because this was such a contentious planning application you've got to ask yourself, would a reasonable person believe that people might have changed their mind and voted for him?"

"The next steps, within about the next 20 days, Bob needs to apply to the court for a hearing date, and then it will go before a judge who will ultimately decide one way or the other."

A Hartlepool Council spokesman said: "We are aware of the petition and we await the decision of the High Court."