Local elections take shape after nomination period closes

Several authority chairs won't take part

The leader of Douglas Council is among three authority chairs who will not be seeking re-election in next month's ballot.

It comes as the deadline for nominations passed and a full list of candidates contesting local authority seats across the Island became public.

Council leader David Christian's name will not be on the ballot paper come polling day, as he joins Ramsey Chairman Andy Cowie and Dr Michelle Haywood in Port St Mary in stepping away from local authority politics.

Elections will be held in the capital, as well as Castletown, Garff, Onchan and Peel when voters head to the polls on Thursday, July 22.

Arbory and Rushen, Braddan, Michael, and Lezayre are among the commissioners' boards that won't be holding elections, with those standing getting in uncontested due to insufficient candidates.

Concerns over a lack of interest in the local authority elections have been proved true in certain areas, with more seats than candidates in a number of regions.

The most notable of those is Ramsey, where only nine people declared for an authority of 12 members, meaning by-elections will be required.

Ballaugh also had just two candidates coming forward, with three more seats available.

Despite one commissioner who's given two decades of public service standing down next month, seven fresh faces have shown an interest in becoming elected in Peel.

Meanwhile, the restructuring of Douglas Borough Council - which is set to mirror the constituencies in the central government elections - will see contests in Douglas Central, East and North, but not in Douglas South where just three candidates declared.

The number of members is also being reduced from 18 to 12 for the next term of office.

Manx Radio is in the process of confirming nominations in all of the local authorities and will provide a centralised page of the contest and uncontested elections in due course.