Lancashire County Council local elections: Preston and South Ribble candidates as voter registration deadline nears

The Lancashire County Council elections to elect county councillors will take place in May, and the voting registration deadline is next week.

People can vote for the county councillors representing them for the next four years on May 1, and the deadline to register is April 11.

The county council provides major local government services such as education, adult and child social care, highways and transport, leisure, arts and recreation, Trading Standards, and birth, death and marriage registration.

The current Conservative-led administration chose to go ahead with the local elections, despite many other authorities who are going through Devolution and local government reorganisation, choosing to delay voters going to the polls.

With all 84 seats on Lancashire County Council up for grabs, including 17 seats in Preston and South Ribble, here is a guide to the candidates who are due to stand across the Preston and South Ribble seats – with some information we’ve found on some of the candidates. * denotes an incumbent candidate who is standing again.

Preston Central East – currently held by Labour, majority: 1,971
Frank De Molfetta* – Labour – As one of Preston’s longest-serving politicians, Frank will compete again for the seat he has held continuously since 2005. The Labour Party member previously served the Moor Park area as a city councillor from 1991 to 2011 before stepping down to focus on family and his county councillor role.
Darrin Greggans – Reform – An IT consultant who previously served in the Queen’s Lancashire Regiment, Darrin is a confirmed candidate who promises to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and give local communities a stronger voice.
Al-Yasa Khan – Conservatives – previously ran in the 2024 Preston local elections but was unelected.
George Kulbacki – Lib Dem – a Preston city councillor for the Sharoe Green Ward in Fulwood.
Michael Lavelette – Independent – stood in last year’s general election and came second, to Labour’s Sir Mark Hendrick, but put a big dent in Labour’s majority. He refused to condemn Hamas during a dramatic moment in the city’s general election hustings – drawing condemnation from other candidates and the city’s Jewish community.
Callum Taylor – Green

Preston Central West – currently held by Labour, majority 813
Matthew Brown* – Labour – Matthew will run again for this county council seat, which he currently holds. He has been a Labour councillor for Plungington since 2002 and the leader of Preston City Council since 2018.
Joe Custodio – Reform
Frankie Kennedy – Conservative
Mike Peak – Lib Dem – A retired university lecturer in Electronic Engineering, Mike is also the councillor for Greyfriars.
Jennifer Robinson – Green

Preston City – currently held by Independent, majority 1,445 (but elected as Labour)
Connor Dwyer – Labour – Connor is the current councillor for Sharoe Green on Preston City Council and has been actively involved in politics since being a young teenager.
Holly Harrison – Green
Tayo Korede – Conservative
Yousuf Motala* – Independent – As Preston City’s county councillor since 2019, Yousuf will run again for this position, representing the Preston Independents. The county councillor quit the Labour Party in 2023, accusing them of racism, Islamophobia, and having a weak stance on Gaza and has sat as an independent ever since.
Scott Pye – Reform
Julie Van Mierlo – Lib Dem – A Liberal Democrat city councillor for Cadley ward in Fulwood.

Preston East – currently held by Labour, majority of 359
Edward Craven – Lib Dem – Edward has run for at least seven local elections and will now try his hand at the county council elections.
Geoffrey Fielden – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Anna Hindle* – Labour – As a county councillor since 2021, Anna also represents Ribbleton as a councillor and is as the cabinet member for arts and culture on Preston City Council.
Luke Parker – Reform
John Ross – Green
Keith Sedgewick – Conservative – Keith previously ran for the county council elections in 2013 and 2017 and will now try again this year.

Preston North – currently held by Conservative, majority of 880
Qasim Ajmi – Independent – Qasim previously ran for Ribble Valley in the general election in 2024
Fiona Duke – Lib Dem – A Preston city councillor since 2022 in the Greyfriars ward who lives in the Fulwood area. She is a flood risk manager and chartered environmentalist.
Maxwell Green – Conservative – Lancaster University lecturer and current Sharoe Green Ward councillor
Charles Parkinson – Green
Alex Sharples – Reform
Samir Vohra – Labour – Samir is additionally the local councillor for Deepdale, where he is the Member Champion for Safeguarding on Preston City Council

Previous county councillor Ron Woollam has decided not to stand.

Preston Rural – currently held by Conservative, majority of 1,838
Millie Barber – Green
Daniel Guise – Lib Dem – also a Preston City Council councillor for Preston Rural North.
Maria Jones – Reform
Sue Whittam* – Conservative – Alongside holding the county council position since 2021, Sue is the lead member for Health, the Deputy Mayor of Preston City Council, and councillor for Preston Rural North. Sue was previously the leader of the city’s Conservative group for many years before relinquishing the role after last year’s local elections.
Valerie Wise – Labour – In addition to running for county councillor, Valerie is the local councillor representing Fishwick and Frenchwood on Preston City Council. She is the cabinet member for Community Wealth Building on the city council and has city regeneration within her portfolio. Valerie is a former leader of Preston Council and a member of the Greater London Council.

Preston South East – currently held by Labour, majority of 1,159
Jenny Mein* – Labour – Jennifer is Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Lancashire County Council and has been a county councillor since 2005. The long-serving councillor was previously the leader of Lancashire County Council from 2013-2017. She was also a city councillor before narrowly losing her seat in the local elections last year, due to the ruling city Labour group’s stance on the now scrapped Ashton Park Sports Hub.
Andy Pratt – Conservative – Andy is the Conservative Chairman of Preston Conservative Association and a retired superintendent from the Lancashire Constabulary. In addition to being Lancashire’s former Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy received an MBE for his voluntary work in Preston.
Almas Razakazi – Independent
John Rutter – Lib Dem – John is currently a local councillor representing Ingol and Cottam. He is additionally an author, teacher and management consultant.
Marion Seed – Green
Nigel Wilson – Reform – a retired doctor

Preston South West – currently held by Labour, majority of 394
Kevin Brockbank – Conservative – has previously stood and lost in local elections for the city council, retrained as a journalist despite having a heart transplant during his studies.
Laura Dalton – Green
Mark Jewell – Lib Dem – a Lib Dem councillor for Lea and Larches Ward. He was the county councillor for Preston South West from 2009-2013 and stood in the 2024 general election in Fylde.
Nweeda Khan* – Labour – Holding the position since 2021, Nweeda is due to stand for her county council seat again this election. The county councillor additionally represents the Plungington Ward as a city councillor and is also the cabinet member for communities and social justice on Preston City Council.
Emma Mead – Independent
Lee Slater – Reform

Preston West – currently held by Lib Dems, majority of 136
Trevor Hart – Conservative – As the Mayor of Preston in 2018, Trevor lost his seat in the 2024 local elections and also stood to be MP for Preston in last year’s general election. The retired schoolteacher additionally the Deputy Chair for Preston Conservative Association.
Michael McGowan – Labour
John Potter* – Lib Dems – Professional cameraman John has held this county council seat since 2017. He has additionally been a Preston City councillor representing Cadley since 2010 and is the leader of Preston’s Liberal Democrats.
Jemma Rushe – Reform – an engineer by trade
Dan Thompson – Green

Leyland Central – currently held by Labour, majority of 583
Mary Green – Conservative – Mary has been the local councillor for Moss Side Ward since 2007.
Arif Khanasheb – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalitiion – Having run for local elections in 2024, Arif will run for the County councillor position this year.
Alan Swindells – Liberal Democrat – previously stood in the 2023 South Ribble Borough Council election.
Matthew Tomlinson* – Labour – Matthew is confirmed to run again in the seat he held from 2001-2009 and continuously from 2013-2025. He currently leads the Lancashire Labour Group. The councillor is also a cabinet member (Finance, Assets and Commercialisation) for South Ribble Borough Council, where he has represented Broadfield Ward since 1999.
Hannah Whalley – Reform – Leyland-based accountant
Emma Winterleigh – Green

Leyland South – currently held by Conservatives, majority of 250
Ellie Close – Reform – a small-business owner from Leyland
Tahir Khansaheb – Trade Unionist and Socalist Coalition – Previously running in Chorley’s 2024 local election
Stephen McHugh – Lib Dem – Stephen has previously run in local elections
Jayne Rear* – Conservative – Current county councillor Jayne is confirmed to stand in this year’s elections and has held the seat since 2017. The councillor is additionally a cabinet member for Education and Skills.
Wes Roberts – Labour – Leyland-based Wes works in a secondary school and is a current local councilor representing Buckshaw and Worden.
Ceri Turner – Green

Lostock Hall & Bamber Bridge – currently held by Conservative, majority of 274
Jeff Couperthwaite* – Conservative – Jeff, the current county councillor, has held the role since 2021
Simon Gummer – Reform – a building surveyor from Leyland
Clare Hunter – Labour – Clare is a South Ribble Borough Council councillor representing Bamber Bridge East Ward. She is additionally a Cabinet Member for Leisure and Wellbeing.
Samuel Winterleigh – Green
Tim Young – Lib Dem – Tim previously ran in two local elections

Moss Side and Farington – currently held by Conservative, majority of 1,120
Andy Blake – Reform
Michael Green* – Conservative – Current county councillor Michael will run this year for the seat he has continuously held since 2009. He is additionally the cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing.
Anthony Sims – Green
Graham Smith – Lib Dem – previously ran for MP in the 2024 Parliamentary general election, as well as a local election in 2023.
Paul Wharton-Hardman – Labour – Deputy Mayor Paul has been a local councillor for the Farrington East Ward since 2015, he is also a full-time nurse.

Penwortham East and Walton-le-Dale – currently held by Conservative, majority of 390
Sue Broady – Green – has previously stood in local elections
Joan Burrows* – Conservative – Current county councillor Joan has held the seat since 2017. One of her responsibilities is as a Champion for Older People. She also recently won a by-election, against the tide of Tory losses, in the Middleforth seat for South Ribble Borough Council.
Clare Burton-Johnson – Lib Dem – Clare has previously stood for local elections twice
Lorenzo More – Reform – an Italian academic and scientist
Elaine Stringfellow – Labour – a current local councillor representing Lostock Hall Ward

Penwortham West – currently held by Liberal Democrats, majority of 1,092
Wayne Griffiths – Reform – a motor mechanic
David Howarth* – Lib Dem – David is currently a county councillor, holding his seat since 2013. He is the Liberal Democrats Group leader in South Ribble Borough Council, where he represented Howick and Priory from 1995-2007 and then continuously since 2013. David was South Ribble’s Mayor in 2022
Heike McMurray – Green – previously ran in two local elections
Ian Watkinson – Labour – Ian has been a local councillor representing the Charnock Ward since 2015. He is the council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, Planning and Investment.
Paul Watson – Conservative – has run in two previous local elections

South Ribble East – currently held by Conservatives, majority of 1,042
Fred Cottam – Reform – a HGV driver.
Clare Hales – Green – has run in seven previous local elections.
Chris Lomax – Labour – borough councillor Chris has represented the Walton-le-Dale East Ward since 2019.
Paul Valentine – Lib Dem – been a member of the Liberal Democrats since 1996 and has run in at least seven local elections previously.
Barrie Yates* – Conservative – former engineer Barrie has been the county councillor for this district since 2013.

South Ribble West – currently held by Conservatives, majority of 2,017
James Gleeson – Labour – councillor James represents the Coupe Green and Gregson Lane Ward on South Ribble Borough Council
Tom Lord – Reform – Bretherton-based Tom is a criminal barrister.
Angela Turner – Lib Dem – Angela has been a local councillor representing the Broad Oak Ward since 2019 and also stood in the 2024 general election for South Ribble.
Gareth Watson – Conservative – Gareth is the Deputy Chairman Political for Lancashire and an Honorary Secretary for the Conservative Association.
Christine Winter – Green

Is there something we should know about one of the candidates? You can drop us a line to contactus@blogpreston.co.uk if so. In the weeks ahead we’ll be approaching all Preston and South Ribble candidates to ask them a couple of questions so you, voters, can get to know them more and why they are standing for election.

How do I know which area I am voting in?

You can use the map on the county council website to see the different wards which make up the electoral divisions of Lancashire. There’s also a postcode search or use the ‘who is my county councillor’ search tool.

I’m not in Preston or South Ribble…

You can see the full list of candidates for each area on the county council website. You can also see our breakdown of the candidates for Wyre, Fylde, Ribble Valley and Chorley.

How to register to vote

Lancashire County Council elections returning officer Mark Wynn said: “The elections in May are your chance to choose the people who will take important decisions about those services in the coming years.

“But you can only have your say in those elections if you are registered to vote.

“If you are not yet registered to vote or wish to apply for a postal vote, there is still time, but you need to act now as the deadline is fast approaching.”

Anyone who requires support to register to vote can visit their local library.

Visit Elections – Lancashire County Council for more information and advice about voting registration.

When will we know the results?

The election count is taking place on Friday 2 May 2025 and we will have full coverage and results on Blog Preston.

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