A FORMER well-known political figure in Felixstowe has thrown his cap into the ring for the seat left vacant by disgraced councillor David Smith.Tom Savage – who was town mayor in 1982 – is to stand for Suffolk Coastal and Felixstowe Town Council at the by-election for the south ward on April 22.

A FORMER well-known political figure in Felixstowe has thrown his cap into the ring for the seat left vacant by disgraced councillor David Smith.

Tom Savage - who was town mayor in 1982 - is to stand for Suffolk Coastal and Felixstowe Town Council at the by-election for the south ward on April 22.

His declaration as an independent makes the election, where the main issue will be the future of the south seafront, a four-way fight.

Opponents of the seafront housing and leisure project had been hoping the poll would allow residents to tell Tory councillors what they think of the scheme, but some now feel Mr Savage's nomination will split the vote.

The seat has become vacant following the resignation of Conservative councillor David Smith after he was cautioned by police for child porn offences and made to sign the sex offenders' register.

Smith was charged with ten offences of making indecent photographs of a child under the age of 16 by downloading the pornographic images onto his home computer while subscribing to a web site.

Mr Savage, 71, of Manor Terrace, Felixstowe, was a town, district and county councillor for eight years in the 1970s and 1980s for the Conservatives.

He was also well-known for spearheading the fundraising campaign to buy a scanner for Ipswich Hospital and led the £1 million appeal to build St Elizabeth Hospice. Before he retired, he was secretary to the Felixstowe Dock and Railway Company.

More recently he has been involved in the Save Our Soakaway campaign against the south seafront development proposals.

In the election for the district council seat he will face former county and town councillor Cherrie MacGregor, standing for the Liberal Democrats, Margaret Morris, Labour candidate, and Joan Sennington, Conservative.

For the town council seat, the candidates are the same, except Glenn Hoddy will be standing for the Liberal Democrats instead of Mrs MacGregor.

Polling cards will be delivered to all residents eligible to vote soon and on polling day voting will take place at Langer Primary School, Langer Road, and St John's Hall, Princes Road between 8am and 9pm.

n Voters in Woodbridge will go to the polls on April 15 to elect a councillor to replace Nigel Barratt who stood down from County Hall earlier this year.

Candidates are Diana Ball, Liberal Democrats; Roy Burgon, Labour; John Forbes, Green Party; Jervis Kay, English Democrats; Ben Redsell, Conservative.

Polling stations will be at Farlingaye School, Fred Reynolds Community Centre, Woodbridge Community Centre and St John's Hall from 8am to 9pm.