Conservatives ‘welcome the challenge’ as by-election scheduled for suspended councillor’s seat in Dinnington

As we reported earlier this morning, Cllr Charlie Wooding left the council and a by-election was scheduled for his seat on July 13.

Cllr Wooding was elected as a Dinnington Ward Councillor in 2021 with a huge majority – in fact, of the three councillors who got in, he received the most votes (1,137).

However, only hours before the new municipal year, and the first full council meeting two weeks ago, he became one of the three Conservative members who was said to continue as Independent.

When the Local Democracy Service asked Cllr Simon Ball (Conservative), the leader of the opposition at Rotherham Town Hall, about Cllr Wooding, he said he was suspended pending an internal investigation (attendance).

The 21 days that we were told were set out for Cllr Ball to conclude his investigation run out very soon.

Cllr Ball now confirmed that despite Mr Wooding leaving, he was still a member of the Conservative Party so he was still subject to the internal investigation.

He said: “There is not a great deal I can say as he is (still) under investigation by me so I am obviously bound by the complaints procedure and I also know the personal reasons why he couldn’t attend which I can’t tell you.

“We wish Charlie Wooding well and we welcome the challenge to put an extra Conservative councillor in Dinnington.”

The candidates have until June 16 to submit their nomination papers.

Residents in Dinnington ward have until midnight on June 27 to register to vote if they are not already on the electoral register and the deadline for new postal votes or to change or cancel existing postal and proxy votes is the day after, at 5pm on June 28.

The deadline for applying to vote by proxy is 5pm on July 5.