TWO by-elections will be held for a parish council which lost its chairman and two councillors within weeks.

On Thursday, October 30, a poll will take place to elect two new councillors for Trimdon Foundry Parish Council following the resignation of Larraine Grigg and Joe France on Tuesday, August 12.

The candidates are: Carole Bell, a Labour party member, of Laurel Crescent, Trimdon Colliery; Edward James Gun, an Independent, of Cinnamon Drive, Trimdon Station; Maureen Lenehan-Ferguson, a Labour party member, of Windsor Gardens, Trimdon Station; and Shelia Scott, an Independent, of Station Road East, Trimdon Station.

This will be followed by a second by-election on Thursday, November 6, to replace former chairman, Jim Grigg, who resigned on Wednesday, August 27.

Mr Gun and Mrs Scott are standing as candidates, as well as Jean Loverance, a Labour party member, of Laburnum Crescent, Trimdon Station.

The polling stations, located at Trimdon Station Community Centre in Station Road East and Trimdon Station Residents Association in May Crescent, will be open between 7am and 10pm both days for residents to vote.

As well as losing three councillors, Trimdon Foundry Parish Council’s clerk, Kay Tweddle, also resigned in August.

John Irvine, clerk of Fishburn Parish Council, stood in as acting clerk, but has since been replaced by the new clerk, Geoffrey Price.

Councillor Margaret Eadsforth, a Labour party member, replaced Mr Grigg as chairman.