Didsbury voters to face double election after councillor's sudden resignation

Voters in east Didsbury face a double election in May after the sudden resignation of a councillor.

Labour’s James Wilson has resigned his seat, he has confirmed. Coun Wilson, who was first elected in 2014, also sat on two health scrutiny committees.

Coun Wilson’s resignation means voters in the ward will be voting in two representatives as Coun Linda Foley is due for re-election as her term comes to an end on May 2.

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In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Coun Wilson explained why he was leaving the authority three years before his next election. He said: “I’ve taken the decision to stand down from the council due to work and personal commitments ahead of the local elections in May.

“It has been the honour of my life to represent the people of Didsbury East on the city council for the last 10 years. It’s a great community with some inspiring residents and it has been a privilege to work with my fellow councillors, Linda Foley and Andrew Simcock to deliver improvements for our area in the face of significant challenges.

“I’m also proud to have been part of a council which has stood up for our city in the face of savage funding cuts from central government over the last 14 years.“

The Labour Party’s Manchester secretary, Coun Pat Karney, added: “We are really sorry that James has had to stand down for work reasons.

“He will be greatly missed. He has been a major asset for the Labour Party in Didsbury.”

The other election on May 2 in the ward comes as Linda Foley goes for a second term. Coun Foley was first elected in 2021, and was due to re-stand this year as her term came to an end. She is deputy