The candidates in an upcoming by-election following the death of a councillor have been revealed.

The by-election will be held in the city’s Warndon Parish South ward for a place on Worcester City Council following the death of long-standing Conservative councillor Andy Roberts.

Polls will be open for voters in the Warndon Parish South ward from 7am until 10pm on Thursday, October 19.

There are five candidates in the race with Katie Collier hoping to be elected for the Greens, Sunil Desayrah will represent Labour, Paul Hickling is standing for Reform UK, Paul Jagger will be battling it out for the Lib Dems and Janet Lippett will be hoping to keep hold of the seat for the Conservatives.

Sunil Desayrah is the husband of sitting Labour councillor Jill Desayrah, who was first elected to represent the neighbouring Warndon ward in 2022.

Green campaigner Katie Collier finished fifth for the party in last year’s seven-candidate Bedwardine election.

Paul Hickling has stood on several occasions in various wards across the city – with his most recent being a last-placed finish in the St Peter’s ward in May.

Liberal Democrat candidate Paul Jagger is the husband of current Claines city councillor Jessie Jagger.

The current political makeup of the city council sees Labour, with 13 councillors, and the Greens, with 10 councillors, running a joint administration.

The Tories are currently on eight seats with the Liberal Democrats holding four.

The last election in Warndon Parish South saw Andrew Cross elected for the Greens – defeating Tory candidate Lucy Hodgson by nearly 800 votes.

This came a year after Cllr Roberts was re-elected with a near 500-vote majority in 2022.

Cllr Roberts died in August having served for 17 years as a city councillor. He was first elected to the Warndon Parish South ward in 2006 and also served as mayor of Worcester in 2009.

Cllr Roberts also served as a county councillor which means a by-election will be held on the same day in the Warndon Parish division for a place on Worcestershire County Council.

St Peter’s councillor Steve Mackay replaced Cllr Roberts as cabinet member for children and families last month.