4 Candidates stand for By-election in NUL, Beware bogus tax scams
Written by Hitmix Local News on 13 January 2025
Four candidates are standing in a by-election for a seat on Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council. The seat in the Town ward is being contested after the previous councillor stood down. Voting will take place in the ward on Thursday, 23rd January and ballots will be counted shortly after polling stations close at 10pm.
With one person to be elected to the borough council, the candidates are:
- Sheelagh Eileen Casey-Hulme – Labour;
- Nigel Jones – Liberal Democrat;
- Elliott Albert Lancaster – Conservative;
- Neill Antony Walker – Reform UK.
There are 44 seats on the authority. Including this vacancy, the current position is that the Conservatives have 25 seats and Labour 17, plus one independent.
Following a change in the law, everyone attending a polling station will need an acceptable form of photo identification. More information about photo identification requirements is available here.
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Staffordshire Police are reminding people to be wary over bogus tax refund offers as the self-assessment tax return deadline from HMRC approaches.
These phishing scams are designed to use personal details for selling on to criminals, or to access people’s bank accounts.
People can help fight these scams by reporting any suspicious communications to HMRC. You can do this by forwarding any suspicious emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk, report any scam phone calls to HMRC via GOV.UK and forward any bogus text messages to HMRC on 60599.
In order to protect yourself against this type of scam, take time to think before passing on any information or money and don’t download any attachments or click any links. Remember to use strong, different passwords on all of your accounts and be mindful of caller IDs on mobile phones as these can be spoofed.
If you’re unsure about a text claiming to be from HMRC forward it to 60599, or an email to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk. Report a tax scam phone call via GOV.UK .
Contact your bank immediately if you’ve had money stolen, and report it to Action Fraud.