
Longlevens by-election to cost £10,000
A by-election to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of the Sheriff of Gloucester will cost taxpayers at least £10,000. Conservative Councillor Clive Walford resigned in September just five months after being re-elected in May to represent Longlevens. City councillors had also unanimously appointed him Sheriff - an important civic post in Gloucester supporting the work of the Mayor. Councillor Walford's surprise resignation has triggered a by-election on November 4 which will now cost at least £10,000 to hold, according to city council officials. In May's all-up election, Councillor Walford won the third seat in Longlevens - pipping Liberal Democrat Sarah Sawyer by 62 votes. Sarah Sawyer is now standing in the by-election for the Lib Dems. Councillor Jeremy Hilton, leader of Gloucester Liberal Democrats, said: "This by-election is unnecessary and Longlevens residents will rightly feel angry they have to go to the polls again just six months after electing their councillors. "Local families are facing tax