Both candidates in a by-election for a place on a Staffordshire parish council have pledged to start a petition asking the sitting members to stand down and call a full election.

Elizabeth Brown and Gary Cantelo, who are competing against each other tomorrow for a vacant seat on Shenstone Parish Council, have teamed up to turn their fire on the authority they want to join. The council, which covers Stonnall, Little Aston and Shenstone, between Lichfield and Sutton Coldfield, had been all set to co-opt a local person to fill the vacancy.

But because enough villagers petitioned for a by-election, a ballot had to be arranged.

The two candidates have been upset by the council issuing a public notice to households, dissociating itself from and withdrawing funding for a volunteer group which manages Shenstone’s playing fields.

Mr Cantelo, a member of the playing fields group, and Mrs Brown, who has lived in village for 18 years, said they were unhappy that the playing fields have become an election issue.

“I’m standing because I believe the parish council should be doing more to support local people’s efforts to improve road safety by cutting speeding traffic and tackling the growing problems of HGVs in the village,” Mrs Brown said.

“Gary and the other residents on the playing fields group are doing their best to improve facilities for local people, particularly younger ones.

“We both now agree it’s time to question whether all the councillors representing Shenstone village who sanctioned this action should stand down,” said Mrs Brown.

Mr Cantelo said: “I’m sad to say this is typical of the parish council and many people we have talked to are also fed up.

“Elizabeth and I have agreed to work together because we want what’s right for the village. We’ve tried to see if either of us can step down to avoid the need for an election, but we are told it’s too late.”

Council chairman David Salter said it had been at odds with the playing fields management committee.

“There have been several incidents which have put the parish council and the welfare of the public in jeopardy,” he said.

“There is no intention of interfering with the election.”