Southampton City Council has confirmed the date of a delayed election in Coxford ward following the death of a candidate.

Voting for the ward was abandoned after Conservative candidate Graham Galton tragically died on polling day.

A new election will now take place on June 22. Nominations are now open with parties considering who they will put up in the ward.

Coxford previously had 12 candidates running for the three seats. These were made up of three Labour, three Conservatives, three Liberal Democrats, one Green, one TUSC and one independent.

Nominations are now open but parties are keeping their cards close to their chest.

Councillor Dan Fitzhenry, leader of the Conservative opposition group, who is expected to be putting forward a new third candidate, said: “We are very much saddened to be having to hold this delayed election in Coxford due to the sudden passing of our deeply respected colleague Cllr Graham Galton – but in his name and spirit we will campaign to win the three available seats and hold the Labour council to account during this period of significant financial challenge that our city faces.”

The Greens put forward 22 candidates on May 4 and the party won one seat in Portswood. They have said that they are now "considering putting other candidates forward".

The only candidate that has given confirmation of their standing is independent Ed Surridge, who was originally standing for Coxford on May 4.

Mr Surridge says that if he wins a seat, he plans on using half of his councillor allowance (roughly £13,000) to fund a citizens' assembly in the ward.

The hopeful, who was one of the only two independents standing in May’s all-out election, has said he wants to "create and sustain a Coxford Assembly for its approximately 15,000 residents".

Labour, the Liberal Democrats, TUSC and Reform UK are yet to comment on the Coxford by-election.

Council leader Satvir Kaur stayed in power at the all-out election having retained a Labour majority on the city council.

She remains at the helm with the authority at a time when the Tory opposition has said the council faces a "precarious" financial position.

External auditors have also said the authority must draw up plans to make cuts, and its former chief financial officer warned earlier this year it faces effective bankruptcy.