Four rural wards in the west of Herefordshire are being contested in council elections on May 4. Here is our guide to each. Incumbent councillors are in bold.

Castle

  • HIGHFIELD, Robert Arnold (Local Conservatives)
  • RIMMER, Rob (no affiliation)
  • SHAW, Scott (Liberal Democrats)
  • WATKINS, Alan Richard (Independent)

Flanked by the river Wye and centred on the village of Eardisley, this ward will have a new representative after May 4 following the decision of the True Independents’ Graham Jones not to re-stand.

Vying to hold the seat for the True Independents is Alan Watkins – who was the Conservatives’ candidate whom Coun Jones defeated last time round.

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Robert Highfield will meanwhile be hoping he can reclaim what was previously for many years a Tory-controlled ward, while Rob Rimmer is in fact the Independents for Herefordshire candidate.

Golden Valley North

  • HEWITT, Jennie (Independent)
  • JENKINS, Brett Lewis (Liberal Democrats)
  • PRICE, Philip David (The Conservative Party Candidate)

Bordering the Wye on the opposite side from Castle, this ward is centred on the village of Dorstone.

In 2019, Coun Hewitt of the Independents for Herefordshire defeated Philip Price, who had held the ward since 2007, by a sizeable margin, on an unusually high turnout of 55 per cent.

Golden Valley South

  • GREENOW, Dave (The Conservative Party Candidate)
  • JINMAN, Peter Charles (Independent)
  • STARLING, Duncan James (Liberal Democrats)

Former British Veterinary Association president Peter Jinman took this seat for what was to become the Independents for Herefordshire with 73 per cent of the vote in 2019, indicating that a major swing will be required to unseat him this time.

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Dave Greenow meanwhile has previously represented Hagley ward for the Conservatives.

Stoney Street

  • CUTTER, Phillip Grenfell Haydn (The Conservative Party Candidate)
  • HITCHINER, Christopher David (Independent)
  • HOWERSKI, David Ludwig (Liberal Democrats)

Extending from Belmont west of Hereford via Clehonger up to Mansell Gamage, this ward was for many held by Independent councillor David Taylor until he lost narrowly to the Conservatives in 2015.

Since 2019 it has been held by current leader of council David Hitchiner for the Independents for Herefordshire. His Conservative opponent Phil Cutter is also seeking to retain his seat on Ross-on-Wye town council.

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