A TOTAL of four candidates have been nominated to stand in the by-election for the Buckskin ward of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Representatives from Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party will contest the seat when voters go to the polls on December 21.

The seat is currently vacant following the resignation of Labour leader David Potter, but the successful candidate will only represent the ward until the May borough council elections next year, when it will be up for grabs again.

A victory by the ruling Conservatives in the by-election would hand them a majority of one in the council chamber. At the moment, the council is split down the middle, with the Tories holding 30 of the 60 seats.

The man trying to secure the majority for the Conservatives is Robert Taylor, who is 56 and lives in Black Dam with his wife. He works in the security industry, serves as a magistrate and was previously a divisional director of social services for Berkshire County Council.

Labour's candidate is Gill Gleeson, who lives in South View and is treasurer of the Basingstoke and Deane Labour Party. Having spent 12 years working in Whitehall, she is currently taking a refresher course before returning to teaching.

The Liberal Democrats have put forward Chineham resident Stephen Day, a healthcare professional who has been on the borough council before, representing Basing.

Matthew Pinto, a 29-year-old software engineer, is the Green Party candidate. He lives in Buckskin with his wife and 16-month-old son.

Mr Potter had represented the ward on the borough for about five years and was the leader of the Labour group. He resigned on November 6, after moving to Liverpool, but added that his position had become "untenable" when the Labour Party chose not to select him to represent Buckskin again.

The Labour group announced on Tuesday that Councillor Gary Watts is replacing Mr Potter as group leader on the borough council.