By-election is 'last thing' people want says suspended Reform councillor whose resignation may cost £29,000
“The last thing my constituents want is £29,000 being wasted on yet another election”
A suspended Reform councillor has said the “last thing” his constituents want is another election as he hopes to move on from past controversy.
Within a week of the May 7 local elections, recently-elected Woodhouse councillor Nathaniel Menday was suspended from the Reform UK party when deleted social media posts praising dictators and sharing Nazi imagery were unearthed.
In the month since, Menday has argued that the posts were jokes as he expressed his intentions of staying on as an independent councillor.
Nevertheless, he has faced continued scrutiny from his fellow councillors, with Sheffield’s Labour group launching a petition for his resignation.
If coun Menday were to resign, it would trigger a by-election in Woodhouse, with The Star now able to reveal this would potentially cost £29,000.
The controversial councillor said that this is the “last thing” his constituent wants as he prepares to continue his career in the council - with the ability to claim a more than £17,000 annual allowance.
Nathaniel Menday told The Star: “Whatever I do there's naturally going to be a lot of people who can't abide me, but that's politics and it's something I have to accept instead of constantly trying to fight a losing battle.
“I made it clear that I intend to stay in post and do the job I was elected to do. The last thing my constituents want is £29,000 being wasted on yet another election.”
The cost is estimated based on that of a previous by-election in the ward held on November 28, 2024, which Sheffield City Council told The Star cost £29,150.
Meanwhile, the most recent by-election in the Stocksbridge and Upper Don ward, on June 26, 2025, cost a total £37,850.
Sheffield City Council told The Star that it is not possible to accurately state what future by-elections could cost, as it changes depending on a number of factors including the size of each ward.
Nevertheless, previous figures help provide context to how potential electoral shake-ups could effect taxpayers.
A council spokesperson said: “Sheffield City Council is not currently running any by-elections. It is very difficult to give an estimated cost for a city council by-election as this differs across wards depending on factors including the size of the electorate, the number of postal voters, the postal vote return, postage costs, the number of and cost of hiring polling stations and the associated staffing costs.”
On his Facebook, coun Menday has shared his opposition to greenbelt housing developments with a motion he hopes to bring before the council, while asking constituents to share problems he can tackle as he lays out his beliefs for constituents.
In another post online he also suggested support for Restore UK - a party founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe - however, confirmed to The Star he has no “immediate plans” to join.
He also revealed that he has submitted six questions about three different issues ahead of the upcoming full council meeting on Wednesday, June 24.
He added: “Representing Reform should give a pretty good idea of my ideology and positions, I also made statements on local issues such as the greenbelt. Being suspended has not somehow changed my opinions and I think my constituents understand that. Anything that is unclear will hopefully be clarified in time through my words and actions and of course if they do want to know my opinions on an issue they can always email me and ask.
“I have no intention of appealing my suspension. If there was to be an election tomorrow Restore Britain would have my vote. I always favoured unity on the right, but we are where we are. I don't have any immediate plans to join as I don't think that would serve either party at this moment in time, but we will see what the future holds.
“At this time, my focus is on knuckling down, focusing on local issues and doing my best for my constituents as an independent councillor.”