VOTERS across Craven will go to the polls next month to elect new representatives to North Yorkshire County Council.

All seven seats, covering Skipton, South Craven, North Craven, Ribblesdale, Mid Craven, and Airedale, will be up for grabs on Thursday, May 4. There was also be a by-election to fill the Aire Valley with Lothersdale seat on Craven District Council following the retirement of long standing councillor, Pat Fairbank.

All current county councillors in Craven are seeking re-election, with the exception of Mid Craven councillor Sheelagh Marshall OBE.

In Skipton West, Independent, Andy Solloway will fight four other candidates - Eric Jaquin for the Liberal Democrats, Jonathan Kerr for the Conservatives, Peter Madeley for Labour, and Claire Nash for the Green Party.

In Skipton East, Independent, Robert Heseltine is up against Conservative, Chris Harbron, the Green Party's David Noland, and Labour's Chris Rose.

In South Craven, Independent, Philip Barrett will fight Richard Foster, the Conservative leader of Craven District Council, and for Labour, Vin Keirle.

Two horse races will take place in Mid Craven, between John Pope, for Labour, and Gill Quinn, for the Conservatives; in Ribblesdale, between Conservative Richard Welch and Michael Rose, for Labour, and in North Craven, between David Ireton, for the Conservatives, and Sarah Wiltshire, for the Green Party. In Airedale, the Conservative's Patrick Mulligan, will be up against Andrew Brown, for the Green Party, and Bill Mercer, for Labour.

North Yorkshire County Council Nominations: Airedale: Andrew Brown (Green); Bill Mercer (Lab); Patrick Mulligan (Cons). Mid Craven: John Pope (Lab); Gill Quinn (Cons). North Craven: David Ireton (Cons); Sarah Wiltshire (Green).

Ribblesdale: Michael Rose (Lab); Richard Welch (Cons). Skipton East: Christopher Harbron (Cons); Robert Heseltine (Ind); David Noland (Green); Chris Rose (Lab). Skipton West: Eric Jaquin (Lib Dem); Jonathan Kerr (Cons); Peter Madeley (Lab); Claire Nash (Green); Andy Solloway (Ind). South Craven: Philip Barrett (Ind); Richard Foster (Cons); Vin Keirle (Lab).

Craven District Council, Aire Valley with Lothersdale by election: Andrew Brown (Green); Gemma Harling (Cons).

North Yorkshire County Council's four-yearly election will cover all 72 county council seats across 68 divisions. The full list can be seen on the website at elections.northyorks.gov.uk/electionresults/election/3