SEVERAL well-known names are retiring from Winchester City Council and not contesting their seats in the poll on May 6.

Former mayors Fred Allgood and Georgina Busher, are standing down in Denmead and Bishop’s Waltham.

George Hollingbery, who hopes to become the first MP for the Meon Valley, is not fighting in The Alresfords, which he has represented since 1999.

Unusually, Brian Collin is standing down in Oliver’s Battery and Badger Farm after 24 years to contest the St John and All Saints ward on the other side of the city.

He denied he was switching from Oliver’s Battery and Badger Farm because of a narrow win at the last election in 2006.

Also retiring is one of the youngest councillors, James Stephens who has only served one term in the St Luke ward that covers Stanmore.

Meanwhile several well-known figures are attempting comebacks: former Lib Dem council leader Sheila Campbell, who lost her seat in 2006 is again contesting Swanmore and Newtown. Richard Coleman is trying to comeback in Wonston and Micheldever.

For Labour, Peter Rees and Antony de Peyer, both former councillors, are both standing again.

The 57-seat council is currently controlled by the Conservatives with 29 seats, giving them an overall majority of one. But the Tories will have the tough task of defending 13 seats against the Lib Dems’ four, independents one and Labour, one.

Winchester City Council nominations * donates sitting councillor Bishop’s Waltham Steve Haines, Lab Gideon Lake, Ind David McLean, Con Benjamin Stoneham, Lib Dem Cheriton and Bishop’s Sutton Tim Curran, Lab Chris Day, Lib Dem Harry Verney, Con* Colden Common and Twyford Nigel Burwood, Con Nicholas Carr, Lab Richard Izard, Lib Dem* Denmead Kirk Phillips, Con David Picton-Jones, Lab Margaret Scriven, Lib Dem Droxford, Soberton and Hambledon Tony Coates, Con* Alyn Edwards, Lab Alan Hibbert, Lib Dem Kings Worthy Elaine Fullaway, Lab Stan Howell, Con* Jane Rutter, Lib Dem Oliver’s Battery and Badger Farm Lynda Banister, Lib Dem Kim Gottlieb, Con Margaret Rees, Lab Owslebury and Curdridge Clive Coldwell, Lab Laurence Ruffell, Con* Jo White, Lib Dem Shedfield Pat Hayward, Lab Roger Huxstep, Con* Michael Toole, Lib Dem Sparsholt Victoria Kilroy, Lib Dem Tessa Valentine, Lab Keith Wood, Con* St Barnabas Susan Witt, Lib Dem Richard Worrall, Con* Tania Ziegler, Lab St Bartholomew Denis Archdeacon, Lab Alison Craig, Green Dominic Hiscock, Lib Dem* Paul Wing, Con St John and All Saints James Byrnes, Con Brian Collin, Lib Dem Chris Pines, Lab* St Luke Rose Prowse, Lib Dem Peter Rees, Lab Jamie Scott, Con St Michael Tony Ayres, Lib Dem Antony de Peyer, Lab Ian Tait, Con* St Paul Adrian Field, Lab Helen Osborne, Con Ray Pearce, Lib Dem* Swanmore and Newtown Sheila Campbell, Lib Dem Robert Rudge, Lab Vicki Weston, Con* The Alresfords Robin Atkins, Lab Margot Power, Lib Dem Ken Yeldham, Con Wonston and Micheldever Andrew Adams, Lab Richard Coleman, Lib Dem Stephen Godfrey, Con*