ELECTIONS are coming up in south Cumbria in less than a month – here is a lowdown of the key information ahead of the polling date.

In south Cumbria elections are to be held on Thursday May 2.

Voters will be asked to choose a new police fire and crime commissioner (PFCC) for Cumbria.

A by-election is taking place in Grange and Cartmel ward for Westmorland and Furness Council after former councillor for the ward Peter Endsor stepped down due to family ill health.

Residents will also be able to vote in a number of areas to elect town and parish councillors.

PFCC Elections

Across Cumbria voters will be asked to choose a new PFCC on May 2 with the current commissioner Peter McCall stepping down after eight years in the role.

The statutory duties for the role include agreeing the budget for Cumbria Police and Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service as well as overseeing how these budgets are spent.

The PFCC also sets the amount of money you will pay for policing and the fire service as part of your annual council tax bill through a precept.

Other roles include holding the Chief Constable and Chief Fire Officer to account for their services’ performance.

The Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats have announced their candidate for the upcoming election.

The Conservatives have announced the current deputy PFCC Mike Johnson as their candidate.

Labour have selected former lead officer at The National Crime Agencies Europol & Interpol Bureau David Allen.

The Liberal Democrats have chosen Adrian Waite, who is also standing as the party’s parliamentary candidate for Barrow and Furness.

Grange and Cartmel by election

Residents in the Grange and Cartmel ward will be asked to choose a new councillor to represent the area at Westmorland and Furness Council.

The former councillor Peter Endsor stepped down due to family ill health.

So far, the Liberal Democrats have announced Mike Hull as their candidate for the by election and the Conservatives have selected Alastair Hibbert.

Town and Parish council elections

The parishes with scheduled elections in the Westmorland and Furness Council area are:

Blawith & Subberthwaite Parish Council

Broughton East Parish Council

Burton-in-Kendal Parish Council

Cartmel Fell Parish Council

Claife Parish Council: Lower Ward, Upper Ward, Central Ward, East Ward and West Ward

Colton Parish Council: Central Ward, East Ward and West Ward

Coniston Parish Council

Crook Parish Council

Crosthwaite & Lyth Parish Council

Haverthwaite Parish Council

Hawkshead Parish Council: Fieldhead Ward and Hawkshead Ward

Helsington Parish Council

Heversham Parish Council

Holme Parish Council

Levens Parish Council

Lindale and Newton-in-Cartmel Parish Council: High Newton Ward and Lindale Ward

Lowick Parish Council

Milnthorpe Parish Council

Preston Richard Parish Council

Satterthwaite Parish Council

Sedgwick Parish Council

Stainton Parish Council

Staveley-in-Cartmel Parish Council

Staveley-with-Ings Parish Council: Hughill Ward, Nether Staveley and Over Steveley

Torver Parish Council

Ulverston Town Council: Central Ward, East Ward, North Ward, South Ward Town Ward and West Ward

Witherslack, Meathop & Ulpha Parish Council:  Meathop & Ulpha Ward and Witherslack Ward

Key dates

Applications to register to vote must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by midnight on Tuesday April 16 2024.  Applications can be made online at:  www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal votes must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday April 16 2024.

The rules for postal voting have now changed and postal voters are encouraged to use the Royal Mail envelope provided with the postal vote pack, wherever possible.

Anyone returning a postal vote by hand to the Local Returning Officer must complete a postal vote return form. A postal vote returned by hand that is not accompanied by a postal vote return form will be rejected.

There are also new limits on the number of postal votes that can be handed in by one person. Electors who wish to hand their postal vote in at the polling stations or designated council offices must complete a postal vote return form for the postal vote to be accepted. Postal votes should not be put through the council letter boxes or via internal council mail boxes as these will have to be rejected.

Anyone voting in person will have to show a form of photo ID. Anyone without an eligible form of ID can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate (VAC).

Applications for a VAC or an Anonymous Elector’s Document valid for these elections must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday 24 April 2024. Applications for a Voter Authority Certificate can be made online www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate

Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Wednesday 24 April 2024.

Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election must reach the relevant Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Thursday 2nd May 2024.