A THIRD candidate has entered the fray as nominations closed on Friday (October 10) for a by-election to fill a Wellington Town Council vacancy.

The Conservatives have put forward Alex Yates, who has lived in and around the town for the past 24 years and whose two sons went to school in Wellington.

Mr Yates said his wife is a Wellington GP, which gives him an understanding of primary care funding, recruitment and retention of employees, and of the difficulties in local service provision by pharmacies.

He is a mechanical engineer, working in the water and pumping industry, initially in a family business started by his father before starting his own engineering consultancy.

Mr Yates has worked globally on engineering projects as well as across the UK to improve energy efficiency.

He also works as a lecturer and is considered one of the UK’s foremost experts in the industry.

Mr Yates said he wanted to be the next councillor for the Wellington South ward to ensure residents had a strong voice on the town council.

He is passionate about protecting green spaces around Wellington as well as making sure there are enough schools, doctors, and a rail connection for the growing population.

In addition, he is opposing Somerset Council’s proposed Sunday car parking charges which he describes as ‘a money grabbing scheme borne through lazy targeting and does not tackle the significant spending control problems within Lib Dem-run Somerset Council but will impact local businesses in Wellington’.

Mr Yates was also worried Somerset Council planners would approve Pegasus proposals for new homes south of the town’s relief road which would set a precedent for more housing estates on the fields below Wellington Monument.

Other known candidates in the November 6 by-election are Andy Denison, for Reform, and Lib Dem Gareth Williams.