SEVEN candidates will fight it out for a council seat left vacant after a councillor quit by mistake.

Clacton’s St Paul’s ward councillor Jack Parsons accidentally sent a draft resignation email to Tendring Council’s chief executive in the early hours on December 31.

Despite sending a second email to retract his resignation, the independent councillor was told it was too late.

Seven candidates have now put their names forward for the election, which takes place on February 15.

FC Clacton co-owner Stephen Andrews, from Albert Gardens, is standing as an Independent candidate.

He said: “I’m standing as an independent, as I passionately believe there is no place for party politics for local councillors. For too long Tendring Council has been stifled by cross party squabbling and voting only along party lines.”

Green Party candidate Robert Cockroft, from Vista Road, is a regulatory ecotoxicologist who tests chemicals for adverse effects in the environment.

He said: “If elected I will press the council to defend our interests and push back against the Conservative central government’s determination to pass off all their responsibilities to local authorities at the same time as drastically reducing funding to local government.”

Independent candidate William Hones is again standing for election in the ward. He said: “I want to expose the duplicity in the council and the undemocratic councillors who have jumped from one party to another.

“I also want to improve the wellbeing of the elderly in my ward.”

Former Pier ward councillor Sue Honeywood, from Crown Road, will again be standing for the Conservatives.

She said: “The local Conservatives have been working to improve Clacton for residents, introducing policies to ensure local council homes go to local people, bedsits cannot spring up unopposed and a Public Space Protection Order has been introduced to tackle the problem of street drinking and anti-social behaviour on our town’s streets and along our seafront.

“The council needs to help those who create local jobs and will lobby for the introduction of business rate incentives for new employers.”

Labour candidate Rosie Kevlin, from St Osyth, is a mum-of-three who works in Clacton.

She said: “Our surgeries are over subscribed and often there is a wait of up to two weeks for an appointment. Residents are queuing early in the mornings outside their surgeries to get an appointment.

“This is not acceptable and nobody should have to queue in the cold and rain when they are unwell.”

Keith Pitkin, from Connaught Gardens West, who has retired to Clacton having been a councillor in London, is standing for the Liberal Democrats.

He said: “This ward has had a lot of elections in recent years and people will be asking why are they having to go to vote again.

"As a Liberal, I’m keen to listen to what the residents want.”

Former Holland Residents’ Association and Tendring Neighbourhood Watch chairman Mike Vaughan-Chatfield is standing for Ukip.

He said: “I would be a strong voice and I want to ensure the emergency services are fit for purpose and the NHS meets the needs of the community.”

The poll will be held on Thursday, February 15, between 7am and 10pm.

There will be two polling stations for the by-election at St Paul's Church Hall and Holland Park Primary School.