Contested elections announced in five local authority areas 

Castletown, Peel, Ramsey and Douglas all have more candidates than seats

Five local authorities will be having a contested election.

These are Castletown Commissioners, Peel Commissioners, Ramsey Commissioners North Ward and Douglas South Ward.

In Castletown, there are nine candidates going for seven seats they are Tony Brown, Beth Cannan, John Cringle, William Galley, Colin Leather, Alan Leonard, Mahendrakumar Patel, Carol Quine and Laurence Watterson.     

The list includes former Chief Minister Tony Brown, who has been vocal about the winter closure of Market Square.

The current Chair of the Commissioners Beth Cannan and board member Colin Leather are also standing for re-election.

Peel Commissioners is also having a contested election and has eight people vying seven seats on the board.

Those people are Katryna Baptist, Frank Crompton, Alistair Cubbon-Wood, Stuart Hardingham, Ray Harmer, Sharon Lambert, Christine Moughtin and William Otieno-Costain. 

Chair of the current board Christine Moughtin is going for re-election as is former Department of Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer.

Only one of Douglas’ four wards is having an election, in the south constituency.

Standing in that ward is Steven Crellin, David Cretney, Karel Ver Elst and William Smedley and there are only three seats available.

And Ramsey Commissioners North Ward is having an election – eight people are going for six seats.

They are Emma Honey, Pauline Johns-Garrett, Juan McGuinness, Katrina Netelat, Andrea Nolan, Elizabeth Shimmin, Margaret Webb and Wilf Young. 

Mr McGuinness and Mr Young are current board members and Mrs Johns-Garrett stood unsuccessfully in a by-election last year.

Six people have come forward to stand for the five seats on Patrick Commissioners: Robert Anderson, Henry Bridson, Gordon Clague, Paul Craker, Leo Cussons and Simon Mellor.

Local Authorities not having an election, that we know of are: Arbory and Rushen, Bride, Braddan, Ballaugh, Bride, Garff, Lezayre, Malew, Marown, Onchan, Port Erin and Port St Mary.

Douglas’ East and North Ward are uncontested with Falk Horning, Janet Thommeny and Peter Washington, and Devon Watson, Fenella Logan and Susan Kewin joining the council.

However, its Central Ward will need a by-election, as will Port Erin Commissioners and Ramsey Commissioners South Ward.

These will be announced in due course.

Some stalwarts of local authorities on the Island aren’t returning including Viv Quane from Lezayre, Hazel Hannan in Peel, Godfrey Egee from Port Erin.

And the current Leader of Douglas Council Claire Wells has chosen not to seek re-election.

People living in an area due to have a contested election will be sent polling cards with further information closer to the election day which is 24 April.