FEARS have been raised over the prospect of a Stockton Heath Parish Council by-election costing taxpayers £6,900.

A by-election has been called in the west ward of the parish council after Liberal Democrat Wendy Emsley resigned due to ill health.

Nomination papers putting forward a candidate must be delivered to Warrington Borough Council by 4pm this Friday.

If the election is contested, it will take place on August 16.

But the Liberal Democrats have ruled out doing so – and highlighted the potential bill for the public.

The party's Stockton Heath borough and parish councillor Peter Walker said: "The cost of a by-election to the parish council at nearly £7,000 to elect a person, who will serve for less than two years, is too high to be justified.

"This is public money from the council tax and could be put to better use in our village.

"The Liberal Democrats will not be putting up a candidate even though the resigned councillor was a Liberal Democrat.

"With less than two years to go before all-out elections for the parish, we think this money could be better spent in our village than on an election.

"I would encourage all potential candidates not to put up.

"This would allow the parish council to co-opt a replacement."

Parish councillor Celia Jordan believes co-option 'is also democratic'.

She said: "When there is a co-option, existing councillors – who were democratically elected for four years and entrusted to make decisions on parish matters over that period – decide on a replacement from interested people who put their names forward."

Stockton Heath borough and parish Graham Welborn added: "We will not be part of a process which we think is an unnecessary use of a lot of public money."

The democratic process allows for a by-election to be held when more than 10 voters of the ward request it within the required time period.

But, if no candidates come forward, the parish council is able to co-opt a replacement.