A FORMER Conservative city councillor is fighting to get back onto the council in a by-election about to be held in the city.

Paul Healey is standing as his party's candidate in a by-election due to take place in Micklegate ward, triggered by the resignation of long-serving Labour councillor Julie Gunnell.

Mr Healey lives in the Micklegate ward but served for eight years as Conservative councillor for Rural West York until 2015, when he fought for but lost out on a Micklegate seat.

The IT business owner said: "I have lived in the ward for all of my time in York and it is where I am proud to live with my wife and two children. The issues facing residents, whether good schools for children, ensuring local businesses thrive or dealing with the sometimes problems like anti-social behaviour or the recent disruption caused by faster broadband being rolled out are those I am well familiar with."

Micklegate ward has three councillors and is currently represented by one Labour, one Green and one Independent.

At the last elections in 2015 Mr Healey took six per cent of the vote, polling in 10th place and third out of the three Conservative candidates.