By-elections to fill seats left vacant by "local titan" Councillor Ray Wootten, will take place in November.

The polls for the seats of Grantham St Wulfram's ward on South Kesteven District Council and Grantham North in Lincolnshire County Council are scheduled for Thursday, November 9.

The Conservative councillor and former chairman of South Kesteven District Council died at the age of 71 over the August Bank Holiday weekend, leaving behind his wife Linda, a county councillor, and two children.

He left big shoes to fill, with tributes describing him as a "gentleman" and a "local titan."

Former council leader Kelham Cooke (Conservative) said: "Ray was an exemplar to all of us in public service, from working in the RAF, as a senior police officer and later in local government.

"He contributed so much to Grantham and wider Lincolnshire, and I will personally miss Ray for his wit and good sense of humour. My thoughts and prayers go out to Linda and their family."

Fellow Conservative Councillor Ben Green added: "He was a local titan who led a remarkable life.

"He will be sorely missed, and I give my condolences to Linda and the rest of his family."

Councillor Wootten also served as a member of Lincolnshire County Council's Health Scrutiny Committee and strongly campaigned against the changes to Grantham Hospital, which saw the A&E department converted into an urgent treatment centre.

The campaign saw him travel with the SOS Grantham Hospital campaign group to hand an 80k petition against the downgrade of the town's A&E to 10 Downing Street.

Candidates for the by-elections can be nominated up until 4 pm on Friday, 13 October, while the deadline to register to vote is midnight on Tuesday, 24 October.

Information for anyone who wishes to become a councillor can be found online. 

All voters at a polling station now need to show an accepted form of photographic identification.

To register to vote, visit the Gov.uk website. For more information, click here.