Broxtowe residents will be heading to the polls for upcoming by-election

The borough council has a seat up for grabs in its Nuthall East and Strelley ward after Conservative councillor, Graham Hills, resigned in July triggering a by-election that will take place on Thursday, August 28.

The council confirmed Mr Hills’ resignation but could not confirm the reason for resignation to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Conservative, Labour, Green, Broxtowe Alliance, Independent and Reform UK candidates are all running for the post.

The Conservative influence within the ward has been strong over the past 14 years, with two Conservative councillors elected for the area in the previous four full council elections dating back to 2011.

But political swings have been apparent in the borough, with Labour taking full control for the first time since 2003 in the borough’s 2023 full council election.

Between the 2019 and 2023 elections it had been run under a coalition agreement between Labour and the Lib Dems and the 2015 election saw the Conservatives in control.

But a further political shift happened within the authority in the first part of 2025, when 20 Labour councillors rang in the New Year by quitting the party and forming their own independent group – now known as Broxtowe Alliance – on January 2.

This was in protest of policies under Keir Starmer’s government, such as cutting the winter fuel allowance for some pensioners, and meant Labour lost control of the council.

Now, the current composition of the authority is 19 Broxtowe Alliance councillors, nine Conservatives, seven Labour councillors, five under the Broxtowe Independent Group and three Lib Dems.

But the upcoming by-election, while only one seat, poses questions whether a sixth party – Reform UK – could enter the mix.

Reform UK swept up a strong majority in the 2025 Nottinghamshire County Council elections gaining a total of 41 out of 66 seats – the party won six out of Broxtowe’s nine county seats.

The Reform UK candidate now running in the upcoming by-election – Neil Jeffrey Isted – previously ran in this county council election for the Beeston Central and Rylands division, coming third place with 798 votes, after Labour Kate Foale’s 1,008 votes and Broxtowe Alliance winner Teresa Cullen’s 1,035 votes.

Given the changing hands of the authority in recent years, the creation of a whole new independent group in early 2025 and the rise of Reform UK across Nottinghamshire, the by-election raises questions whether the ward will stick with its overall traditional Conservative vote or opt for a different party.

Broxtowe Alliance candidate – Graham Lambert

Mr Lambert said in a statement to the LDRS one of his main reasons for running related to the potential for Broxtowe to merge with Nottingham City in upcoming council shake-up plans.

He said: “I am strongly opposed to our borough council being merged with a [previously] ‘bankrupt’ City Council. I don’t want our taxes or indeed our assets being sold off or used in any way to pay off their debt – this is a very big concern for our residents.”

Mr Lambert said his priorities include improvements to Basil Russell Park, tackling antisocial behaviour, vandalism, bike and scooter nuisance alongside ‘fighting’ for a resident ‘Bus Plug Relief’ from Horsendale onto the A610 roundabout to the M1.

Conservative candidate – Judith Couch

In a statement, she said: “I have lived in Nuthall for the majority of my life… I wanted to stand as the Conservative Party candidate in this by-election as I am passionate about my local area and I want to ensure that local residents get the best service possible from our local councillors.”

Judith’s main priorities for the ward include keeping it out of a Nottingham City merge under upcoming council shake-up plans – supporting a whole county authority and separate city authority on existing boundaries – protecting green belt land, preventing further HMOs in the ward and campaigning for more SEND funding.

She continued: “It is clear from the positive reception that I and my Conservative campaign team have had from conversations with residents across Nuthall East and Strelley over the last few weeks that I have a strong base of support going into this election.”

Green Party candidate – Rachel Margaret Gravett

Ms Gravett previously ran in the County Council election for the Nuthall and Kimberley division and said in a statement she is running for the borough position because has lived in the borough for 32 years, worked in teaching and is currently a volunteer.

She said: “I stand as a candidate in the Nuthall East and Strelley by-election, because I want to give something back to my local community and use the experience I have gained over the years in areas of education, ecology, sport, and community interaction, to help local people.”

Speaking of priorities for the area, Ms Gravett said: “I would make it my priority to optimise wellbeing in the area both for the community and also the natural environment which in turn benefits local health and happiness.” She added maintaining and enhancing education and health services are priorities.

Ms Gravett “pledges” to listen to local residents on the issues that impact them most if elected.

Independent candidate – Tyrone James Gall

Mr Gall has previous experience as a parish councillor in the area and has lived in Nuthall for over ten years. He told the LDRS he wants to “go to the next level” when representing people, saying: “[The council] needs people more full on and hands on in these positions.”

Speaking of his Independent status, he said: “I can help people more, I don’t have to run to the guidance of my party, I can side with a party and work along with them if I feel they’re right and willing to work hard to correct things out there.”

He said his priorities include housing shortages and pushing for better road maintenance across the county council and borough council and believes his engineering background would be beneficial to the council’s governance.

Labour candidate – Domenica Lopinto

Ms Lopinto told the LDRS she has done various volunteering work in her home borough for around 20 years and said in a statement: “The struggle for everyone is real right now from opportunities for our young adults, the disabled worrying about PIP payments and families affording a weekly shop.

“We need real change and we can only do that by using our voices with Labour, the current government, who can affect immediate change now.

“Many of the local people I’ve spoken to are telling me that nothing ever changes, they want to see new faces that will go in to this with eyes open and affecting change in areas that are ignored.”

“I’ve already made so many great working relationships with our Labour MP’s, East Midlands Mayor, the Nottinghamshire deputy Crime commissioner and our local MP’s currently supporting the Nottinghamshire maternity review.”

Reform UK candidate – Neil Jeffrey Isted

When asked by the LDRS why he was running in the upcoming by-election, Mr Isted said in a statement he is “fed up with the same old politics”, saying traditional parties nationally and locally have “taken people for granted”.

He said: “On the doorstep, I’ve heard frustration over ignored concerns, empty promises, and other parties that aren’t listening. That’s why I want to bring a fresh, common-sense voice to the table, one that actually fights for local people.”

Following Reform’s success in the county council elections, Mr Isted called the by-election “another crucial opportunity” to challenge traditional parties and “send a message” that residents want a different approach.

He said his priorities involve pushing the county council on fixing roads and potholes, protecting green spaces from “over-development”, limiting the number of HMOs and ensuring council money is not spent on vanity projects.

The deadline for registering to vote in the by-election has already passed, along with the deadline to apply for a postal vote and vote by proxy.