Next door neighbours are set to go head-to-head next month for election to Cotswold District Council.

A by-election will be held on February 3 for the Campden & Vale ward.

The list of candidates has now been finalised, with Conservative Tom Stowe and Liberal Democrat Danny Loveridge up against each other.

They live next to each other on the same road in Mickleton.

The seat was previously held by former Conservative leader of the council Mark Annett, who was expelled for failing to attend any Cotswold District Council meetings for six months.

It sparked a war of words between the Liberal Democrat leader of the council Joe Harris and the Conservative leader of the opposition group Tony Berry.

Cllr Harris said the expulsion posed questions for his former colleagues.

He said: "If they can’t ensure their councillors attend one meeting every six months how can voters have any confidence that they could run the Council?"

But Cllr Berry has argued the decision to remove Mr Annett from the council was unfair, pointing to the postponement of meetings and the fact he caught Covid during this time as reasons for non-attendance.

There have since been calls to suspend the arrangement whereby councillors are disqualified if they do not attend a meeting for six months given the current situation with the coronavirus pandemic.

Registering to vote

The deadline for registering to vote is fast approaching.

If you are not already registered to vote, you can do so online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. The deadline for applications is midnight on Tuesday, January 18.

If you would like to vote by post you must make an application by 5pm on Wednesday, January 19. Forms can be downloaded from electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-post

Anyone wanting to vote by proxy must make an application by 5pm on Wednesday, January 26. Forms can be downloaded from electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-proxy

Robert Weaver, returning officer for Cotswold District Council, said: “Taking part in local democracy is important and I would encourage all residents of the Campden & Vale Ward to register to vote and take part in the By-Election.

“I would also recommend people make sure they get registered, apply for a postal or proxy vote as soon as possible so they don't miss out on their chance to vote.”