Nottingham City Council has set a by-election for the Leen Valley ward after a councillor was removed from office for failing to attend qualifying meetings for six consecutive months.
Why the vacancy arose
The vacancy follows the disqualification of Nadia Farhat, who was first elected to Leen Valley in the 2023 local elections. The council says her last qualifying attendance was at a Full Council meeting on 12 January. Under current legislation, she ceased to be a member after not attending any qualifying council meetings for a six-month period.
Nottingham City Council cited Section 85 of the Local Government Act 1972, which provides that a councillor who fails, without prior approval, to attend any meeting of the authority throughout a period of six consecutive months from the date of their last attendance will cease to be a member of that authority.
Candidates and the contest
The poll will take place on Thursday 20 August. Seven candidates have been formally nominated to contest the seat. They are:
- Parveen Begum — Nottingham People’s Alliance
- Stuart Andrew Frost — Reform UK
- Abbas Hussain — Labour
- Hugh McGuinness — Green Party
- Liz Morgan-Danvers — Liberal Democrats
- Gail Janise Stancliffe — Conservative
- Nadia Farhat — standing again (described as removed under the legislation)
Addresses for most nominees are given as within Nottingham city; the Green Party candidate is listed with the address 3 Newtondale Close, Nottingham. The council statement confirms the names and parties of all those standing.
Local reaction and practical implications
The council said the removal followed a warning notice, and some councillors raised concerns that the notice did not give the former member sufficient time to attend qualifying meetings. The authority nonetheless carried out the disqualification process under the statutory provisions.
There is also a direct financial consequence for the city. Nottingham City Council estimates the by-election will generate “a small unbudgeted cost of running the by-election” of approximately £20,000. The council says this cost will be partially offset by the non-payment of Ms Farhat’s basic allowance following her disqualification.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Ward | Leen Valley |
| Trigger | Non-attendance for six months (Section 85, Local Government Act 1972) |
| By-election date | Thursday 20 August |
| Estimated cost | About £20,000 (unbudgeted) |
| Candidates | Seven |
For residents of Leen Valley, the contest will determine which party holds the seat on a council that is responsible for services ranging from waste collection to housing and local planning. By-elections of this kind can also shift the balance on closely divided councils, although the council has not suggested the change will alter overall control.
“A small unbudgeted cost of running the by-election” of approximately £20,000, the council said.
Ms Farhat had been elected as a Labour candidate in 2023 but defected in October that year; the council’s removal notice relates solely to attendance and follows the statutory process rather than disciplinary or political mechanisms.
The by-election timetable will now proceed under the council’s electoral arrangements. Local parties and candidates will campaign in the coming weeks ahead of the vote, and electors in Leen Valley should receive polling information from the returning officer in the normal way.
Voters and residents wishing to check registration, postal vote deadlines or polling station locations should consult Nottingham City Council information and the formal notices issued in the coming days.
