Cheshire East is facing another by-election following the resignation of Macclesfield Central councillor Ashley Farrall, who is this week starting a 12-month jail term.

It will be the second by-election within a few months, as just weeks ago voters in Wilmslow went to the polls for an election won by the Conservatives.

A spokesperson for Cheshire East Council said: "We will publish a notice of vacancy in due course.

"The date of any by-election will be determined by a number of variables, which are not within the control of the council.

"However, it is likely that the seat will be contested.

"A by-election will take place on a date to be determined by the returning officer."

Ashley Farrall was handed a 12-month prison sentence earlier this week (Credit: Cheshire Police)

Ashley Farrall was elected to Cheshire East as a Labour councillor in 2019, but had sat as a non-grouped councillor since the end of last year.

On Monday, at Chester Crown Court, he was sentenced to a year in prison after being found guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The court heard that following an incident on November 14, 2024, a police investigation was launched, and he was subsequently charged.

Despite bail conditions not to contact his partner, he gave her a secret 'burner phone' to discuss the retraction statement and even travelled to her address in Wales to go through the wording of statement.

He continued to discuss the case with her with the intention of pleading guilty following the withdrawal to get a suspended prison sentence in return.

Farrall continued to meet up with her and contact her, in breach of his bail conditions.

Insp Matt Chapman said: "Farrall manipulated his partner, saying he was sorry, and it was a mistake.

"He suggested that they could go to couples therapy and things would change.

"However, once he got what he wanted, her retracted statement, he became bad tempered, and even gaslighted her by suggesting she was remembering the incident wrongly.

"He wasn't sorry and had no intention of changing.

"Farrall went to great lengths to manipulate his partner when she was at her most vulnerable so he could selfishly get what he wanted.

"The courts imposing a custodial sentence sends a strong message about this type of offence."