A TOTAL of 10 candidates will battle it out to fill the vacant Redhill and Northbourne seat on Bournemouth council.

The list of those hoping to win a place on the council on Thursday, May 31 include two former councillors who lost their seats in last year’s local elections.

The by-election was called following the resignation of former council leader Peter Charon, who quit the council shortly after his Conservative colleagues succeeded in passing a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

Former Liberal Democrat leader Claire Smith, who lost her Kinson North seat by just 23 votes last year, is standing as an Independent after leaving the Lib Dems in protest at the coalition’s NHS reforms.

She is one of four independent candidates but is the only one backed by Bournemouth council’s three-strong Independent group.

The other independent candidates are Steve Bartlett, Paul Graham and Peter Woodley.

Pat Lewis, who also lost her Kinson North seat last year, is standing for the Liberal Democrats and David D’Orton-Gibson, who was an unsuccessful candidate in Redhill and Northbourne last year, is standing for the Conservatives.

Labour’s candidate is local hairdressing salon owner Jo Kennedy, who unsuccessfully stood as an Independent last year and Nicolas Atkinson is standing for UKIP.

Sandra Hale is the Green candidate and Colin Smith is standing for the BNP.

Peter Charon topped the poll during last year’s election and the Conservatives will be keen to regain the seat and keep their sizeable majority on Bournemouth council.

But the ward is also currently represented by a Liberal Democrat and an Independent councillor and is seen as winnable by many of the other candidates.