FOR the first time in living memory, a full election will be held to decide the make up of Malmesbury Town Council.

A total of 20 candidates have put their names forward for a place on the 16-seat council.

Three current councillors, Edmund Dias, Jacky Martin and Eleanor Thomas, are not standing for re-election.

The last time an election was held for a seat in the town was in 2004, when current deputy mayor John Lawton was voted in ahead of former abbey verger Bill Blake and retired businessman Harry Clarke.

However, it has been decades since a full election for the council has been held.

New candidates this year include Mr Blake, of Powell Rise, Stephen Fisher, of West Street, Paul Dove, of Monks Park, and Libby Davis, of West Street.

They will be joined by the chairman of the White Lion Recreation Associa-tion Simon Killane, retired nuclear engineer Gerry Jordan, of William's Stumpe Close, and carnival committee chairman Steve Cox, of Abbey Row.

The council has already decided that, if re-elected, next year's mayor is set to be Coun Lawton, while his deputy would be Coun Andrew Woodcock.

Members of the electorate are being encouraged to use a rare opportunity in the town's history to have their say on the make up of the full town council.