BY-ELECTIONS for six town council seats will take place next week.

Alongside elections for the new Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner, by-elections will be taking place on May 6 for Weymouth Town Council - Wyke Regis ward; Weymouth Town Council - Preston ward; Shaftesbury Town Council - West ward; Swanage Town Council - Swanage North ward; Lyme Regis Town Council; Ferndown Town Council - Ferndown Central ward.

Elections will not be taking place for Portland Town Council - Portland Tophill East ward, or Okeford Fitzpaine Parish Council as the candidates standing in these two areas are uncontested

The candidates running for each seat are as follows:

Weymouth Town Council - Wyke Regis ward

Becky Suzanne Blake - Labour

Joanna Mary Dickenson - Conservative

Claudia Lucienne Alexandra Louise Webb - Green

Weymouth Town Council - Preston ward

Peter Dickenson - Conservative

Nick Ireland - Liberal Democrat

John Michael Liles - Independent

Stuart Graeme Sharkey - Labour

Shaftesbury Town Council - Shaftesbury West ward

Virginia Rhiannon Edwyn-Jones - Independent

Mike Madgwick - not disclosed

Swanage Town Council - Swanage North ward

John Michael Bishop - Conservative

Philip Michael Eades - Independent

George Holden - Labour

Ferndown Town Council - Ferndown Central ward

Lyn Ovens - Independent

Grant Clifford Parrott - Conservative

Lyme Regis Town Council

Caroline Jane Aldridge - Liberal Democrats

Vicki Elcoate - Green

Christopher James Service - Independent

Tara Dawn Webb - not disclosed

The deadline for a proxy vote application, where you can appoint someone else to vote on your behalf, has passed, but emergency proxy voting will be available on the day of the elections for anyone who is self-isolating or shielding.

A spokesman for Dorset Council said: "All polling stations will be equipped with hand sanitisers and signage to ensure everyone keeps a safe distance. All voters and polling staff will be required to wear a face covering unless exempt. Pencils will be available, but voters can bring their own pen and pencil if they prefer."

A full list of the candidates running in each by-election is available on our website.