DESPITE the fact that Marlborough Town Council will not hold an election next month, the soon-to-be mayor believes the injection of some younger blood can reinvigorate their ranks.

For the second time running, the town council has not had enough people come forward to fill the 16 seats for Marlborough's East and West wards.

Councillors Stewart Dobson and Elizabeth Marian Hannaford-Dobson, Billy Lam, Margaret Ross, Justin Cook, Richard Allen and Alec Light will retire from their roles and six new faces have stepped forward to serve the town.

They include Harry Forbes, Edward Northeast, Peter Cairns and Susie Price as Independents and Mark Cooper, Liberal Democrats, and Andy Wilson, of no political affiliation.

"I think this is a very encouraging and exciting change to the town council. Now that we have got some younger faces in, it will help to freshen things up," said current deputy mayor Mervyn Hall.

"To me the council needed to be reinvigorated. Some people have been on the council for a long time and sometimes people get entrenched in their positions, which can stall matters.

"This is not a blow for democracy as it is pretty heavy duty these days to be a councillor. You put in a lot of hours and effort, without getting paid, so I can see why people cannot make that commitment.

"Also the fact that Wiltshire Council is giving town and parish councils a lot more things to do with the transfer of services, that may put people off. Many councils are in a much worse off position than us as there are more uncontested councils than contested ones.

"Last time we had two empty spaces so it is progress of a kind and with these new people coming in I think we have a bright future ahead."

There will however be an election for the unitary councillors for Marlborough, with three candidates vying for each ward at the May 4 elections.

Conservative Stewart Dobson in the East ward and Independent Nick Fogg in the West ward are both running for re-election.

Katherine Davis, Labour, and Alexander Kirk Wilson, Liberal Democrat, will compete for the East ward and Sylvia Card, Labour, and Tamara Reay, Conservative, will seek to claim the West ward.

The polls will be open on Thursday, May 4, between 7am and 10pm.