DOZENS of people have put themselves as candidates for the 19 seats available on the new Christchurch Town Council.

Formed in the face of concerns about the heritage loss the merger of Christchurch Borough Council with Bournemouth and Poole councils, the town council came into being at the beginning of the month.

Elections for the new council will take place at the same time as the votes for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council and as those for the new Highcliffe and Walkford Neighbourhood Council on May 2.

Thirty-three people will be on the ballot papers for the five wards of Christchurch Town Council chasing one of the 19 seats available.

Several are former borough councillors including the last mayor Lesley Dedman.

Most candidates have put themselves forward without any affiliation to a political party although seven have listed the Liberal Democrats on their nominations.

The new council will be made up of five wards with the number of councillors representing each area ranging from two in Friars Cliff and Mudeford and Stanpit to six in Priory.

It will be funded through a council tax precept charged to people living in the area it covers and will be responsible for taking over the historic functions of the borough council and managing some open spaces.

Elections for the new neighbourhood council will take place in the Highcliffe ward with the other two wards having fewer nominations than there are seats available.

The full list of candidates:

Friars Cliff

Claire Bath

Lesley Dedman (Independent)

Paul Hilliard

Rob Ward

Grange

Janet Abbott (Independent)

David Jones (Independent)

Simon McCormack (Independent)

Frederick Worthy (Liberal Democrat)

Jumpers and St Catherine’s

Colin Bungey (Independent)

Fiona Cox (Liberal Democrat)

Sue Fotheringham

Tavis Fox

Carol Gardiner (Liberal Democrat)

Fred Neale (Independent)

Sue Spittle

Ray Thomas (Ukip)

Fenella Vick (Liberal Democrat)

Mudeford and Stanpit

Bernie Davis

Keith Harrison (Liberal Democrat)

Gillian Jarvis (Independent)

Grace Polson (Independent)

Priory

Sue Bungey (Independent)

Avril Coulton (Independent)

Mike Cox (Liberal Democrat)

Wendy Grace (Keeping Christchurch Special)

Christopher Guest (Independent)

Peter Hall

Trish Hansen (Fresh Ideas for a Positive Future)

Tom Lane (Independent)

Michael Tarling (Liberal Democrat)

Stuart Tizzard (Keep Christchurch Special)

Lindsay Turner

Christopher Van Hagen (Keep £1 for Two Hours Parking)