Villages to hold by-election - after councillor doesn't turn up

The dust may have started to settle on the coalition government in most of the country - but just down the road from Berkhamsted, the villages of Aldbury and Wigginton have found themselves at the centre of a political storm.

Mike Edwards, the former Conservative councillor for the two villages - which lie between Berkhamsted and Tring - was disqualified from his post last month due to 'non-attendance'.

Mr Edwards had not turned up at any meetings in the last six months.

After his disqualification, he said: 'There are a lot of things that I will not disclose that I was not happy about or agree to in terms of processes, decision-making and democracy.'

Now, Dacorum Borough Council has announced that a by-election will be held on Thursday, August 26, to decide Mr Edwards' replacement.

The candidates are Paul Richardson, from Tring (Conservative); Rosemarie Hollinghurst, from Wigginton (Liberal Democrat); and Thomas Arden Wright, from Hemel Hempstead (Labour).

On the day, residents of Aldbury and Wigginton can vote at The Memorial Hall in Aldbury, The Iron Room near Tring Station and St Bartholomews Church in Wiggington, between 7am and 10pm.