MINEHEAD will have a completely independent town council for the first time in living memory after no political parties put up candidates for the forthcoming elections on May 2.

When nominations closed on Wednesday afternoon, all the candidates for the town council’s five wards were independents.

And there will be an election in only one of the wards, Minehead North, where four independents – Ann Lawson, Terry Venner, John Malin and Oliver Harvey - are contesting three seats.

The other four wards are all uncontested and the nominated candidates will all be returned unopposed.

That will leave the council two members short, and the vacancies will be filled by co-option after the election.

In an unexpected development, the Conservatives – who won the 2015 election – Labour, the Lib Dems and UKIP all failed to field any candidates.

Buy today’s Free Press to find out who’s who on the new council.