Salisbury Milford by-election could shift Wiltshire Council balance

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 13 Oct, 05:59 · Archive

Voters in Salisbury Milford go to the polls on Thursday, October 15, to fill a Liberal Democrat seat vacated by councillor Alan Bayliss.

A by-election in Salisbury Milford on Thursday, October 15, will determine control of a crucial seat at Wiltshire Council. Liberal Democrat councillor Alan Bayliss resigned from both Wiltshire Council and Salisbury City Council for personal reasons at the beginning of September, triggering the contest.

The outcome will affect the council's political balance. Wiltshire Council has 98 seats. After Bayliss's departure, these stand at 42 Liberal Democrats, 38 Conservatives, 10 Reform UK, seven independents and others, with Milford the sole vacancy. A Liberal Democrat victory would take them to 43 seats, restoring the seat they won at last year's elections. A Conservative victory would increase their representation to 39 and narrow the gap between the council's two largest parties.

Neither party can command an outright majority alone, making every seat particularly valuable as the parties seek influence over the direction of the authority. The finely-balanced politics mean this single seat could prove decisive in how the council operates.

Four candidates are fighting the contest: Mac McIntyre Brown for the Liberal Democrats, Laura Elizabeth Jones for the Conservatives, Simon Edgar Lever for Reform UK, and Sony Assuon for Labour. The Lib Dems enter the election defending favourable territory. At the May 2025 council elections they took 43.9 per cent of the vote in Salisbury Milford, against 24 per cent for the Conservatives, 18.1 per cent for Reform, 8.7 per cent for Labour and 5.4 per cent for the Greens. However, the seat has changed political hands before.

Salisbury Milford by-election could shift Wiltshire Council balance — Image: Swindon Advertiser

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How it is being reported

Crucial by-election could shift balance of power at Wiltshire CouncilA single council seat will be fiercely contested this week as the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives battle for an important advantage in Wiltshire Council.Swindon Advertiser · 13 Oct, 05:00
Crucial by-election could shift balance of power at Wiltshire CouncilA single council seat will be fiercely contested this week as the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives battle for an important advantage in Wiltshire Council.Wiltshire Times · 13 Oct, 05:00
Crucial by-election could shift balance of power at Wiltshire CouncilA single council seat will be fiercely contested this week as the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives battle for an important advantage in Wiltshire Council.Gazette & Herald · 13 Oct, 05:00
Milford by-election could shift balance of power at Wiltshire CouncilSalisbury Milford by-election on October 15 sees Lib Dems and Conservatives battle for a key Wiltshire Council seat, with Reform UK and Labour candidates.Salisbury Journal · 12 Oct, 17:23

In this story: Alan Bayliss · Mac McIntyre Brown · Laura Elizabeth Jones · Simon Edgar Lever · Sony Assuon · Wiltshire Council · Salisbury Milford

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