Ousted council leader confirms he won’t stand in Sheffield by-election
Former Sheffield Council leader Tom Hunt has confirmed he will not contest the forthcoming Walkley by-election. The vacancy follows Green councillor Andy Davies’s resignation, and Hunt’s decision means Labour will select another candidate to try to regain the seat it narrowly lost in May.
Davies defeated Hunt by 73 votes in the 7 May local elections, ending Hunt’s time as both a councillor and council leader. Davies said he was stepping down for mental-health and personal reasons, triggering another contest in a ward where the result was among Sheffield’s closest.
In short
- Tom Hunt will not seek a return in Walkley.
- Andy Davies’s resignation has prompted a by-election.
- Davies beat Hunt by 73 votes in May.
Explained simply
Sheffield City Council is made up of councillors elected to represent local wards. Walkley is one of those wards, and its residents choose a councillor to speak for them and take part in council decisions.
Tom Hunt was Labour’s leader on the council before losing his Walkley seat to Green Party candidate Andy Davies at the May local elections. The close result reflected competition between the parties in the ward. A by-election is held when a council seat becomes vacant between scheduled elections, giving residents another chance to choose their representative.