POLLING cards will not be sent out to Newent residents in the run up to the town council’s by-election.

Residents will have to check for themselves to see if they are registered to vote on August 11 because Newent Town Council decided not use polling cards in a bid to cut costs.

Members of the electorate will not receive notification of the election unless they are registered to vote by post.

District Councillor Julia Gooch (Newent Central, Ind) said: “How will people know if they are eligible to vote or not if they don’t receive a polling card?

“It will be quite confusing for some people but I can understand they are not being sent out because of the cost.

“With all the candidates that are standing and so much has being made of the election, I think the polling cards should be sent out.”

The candidates standing are Neil Bisco, Stef Cooke, Steven Hedges, James Marshall, Gill Moseley, David Sass, Vilnis Vesma and Barrie Wellington.

To check if you are eligible to vote you can contact the electoral registration officer at Forest of Dean District Council, Council Offices, High Street, Coleford, GL16 8HG or by phone on 01594 812626 or email [email protected].Voting is open to those registered in Akermans Orchard, Ash Tree Close, Ayland Close, Blackmans Close, Blenheim Drive, Boughton Way, Boulsdon Lane, Bradfords Close, Bradfords Court, Bradfords Lane, Broad Street, Brookside, Bury Bar, Chedworth, Cherry Bank, Church Street, Church Way, Connemara Close, Cooks Place, Coopers Way, Court Lane, Craddock Road, The Crease, Culver Street, Daffodil Court, Drovers Way, Foley Road, Bury Bar Gardens, Freemans Orchard, Gardeners Way, Glebe Close, Glebe Court, Glebe Road, Glebe Way, Gloucester Street, Graces Pitch, Greenways, Hartland, High Street, Highfield House, Hillsview, Holts Road, Holts Terrace, Johnstone Road, Knights Crescent, Knights Way, Lightfoot, Market Square, May Hill View, Meek Road, Nanfan and Dobyn Place, Newland Court, Oak Tree Way, Onslow Road, Peacock Close, Peacock Gardens, Perry Close, Pippin Close, Reevers Road, Ross Willis Court, Russett Way, The Ryelands, Southend Lane, St Bartholomews, Stokes Mews, Tything Mews, The Tythings, Tythings Crescent, Upper Culver Street, Vauxhall, Waterloo Terrace, Watery Lane West View, Whitegates, Whittington Walk, Winfield.