REFORM UK will be hoping to replace one Wellington town councillor with another when a by-election is held next month.

The party’s only town councillor Marcus Barr resigned earlier this month and an election was triggered this week when 10 electors in the south ward he represented signed an electoral petition.

Reform quickly announced local care provider Andy Denison, who lives in Rockwell Green, will be its candidate for the election.

Mr Denison has previous experience as a Mendip district councillor and is the son of a former Mayor of Wells, following in his father’s footsteps to serve on the city council there for a term.

For the past four years, Mr Denison has been working as a self-employed care microprovider covering the Wellington and Taunton areas and has 14 years’ experience including with a Wellington-based home care agency.

Mr Denison said: “I absolutely love supporting my clients to stay safe in their homes for longer, helping them thrive in leading a high-quality life.”

He can often be seen running around Wellington as he has been focused on staying active and training for his first half-marathon in October after losing a significant amount of weight in the past year through Slimming World.

Mr Denison said: “I am also a keen walker and have taken on the South West Coast Path challenge this year and have currently got as far as Bude, from starting in Minehead.

“I have seen the importance of a thriving community first hand, and I am passionate about doing my bit to become a voice for my local community.

“I share the concerns that many locals have about the amount of development going on that does not seem to be backed up by the infrastructure needed.

“I see the absolute mess that our country is in now, but at the same time I see the potential and the opportunities to make this country great again.

“Because of this, I feel I can play my part locally by fearlessly being a voice for the local community and in a constructive and fair way holding the local decision makers to account and asking for common sense to prevail.

“In turn, doing my bit to help my local community to thrive.”

Mr Denison said he was proud to share with Reform UK the values of ‘family, community, country’.

He said: “I believe the party is asking all the right questions to debates that we ultimately need to have in this country to help it dig itself out of the mess that it is in and become an amazing country to be a part of.”

A date for the Wellington South ward by-election has still to be set.

The town council currently has 15 seats currently filled by five Liberal Democrats and five Independents plus three Labour and one Conservative, with one vacancy.

Cllr Barr, who was originally elected as a Conservative and then became Independent before joining Reform, continues to represent Wellington on the unitary Somerset Council.