Monday 31 July 2017

A round up of council by elections since the May main cycle

There have been 28 by-elections since the General Election up to the end of July with 7 (25%) changing hands. The results can be summarised by:

Party  Candidates     Defended       Retained         Gained            Lost              Won       retention rate
Conservative
25
11
9
3
2
12
82%
Labour
25
9
9
2

11
100%
Liberal Democrat 
21
4
2

2
2
50%
Plaid Cymru
1






SNP
1






Green
11






UKIP
4





0%
Independent ^   
12
4
1
1
3
2
25%
Localists ^^
3


1

1

Total
103
28
21
7
7
28
78%

 ^  12 candidates contested 9 by-elections
^^ North East, Our West Lancashire, Seaham Community

Conservatives gained three seats, all from Independents, but lost one to Labour and one to a "localist".
* gained Moray: Elgin City North, North Dorset: Blandford Central and Powys, Yscir
* lost Staffordshire Moorlands: Leek East to Labour and West Lancashire: Derby to Our West Lancashire

Labour gained two seats:
* Eden: Alston Moor from Liberal Democrat and Staffordshire Moorland: Leek East from Conservative

Liberal Democrats lost two seats:
* Eden: Alston Moor to Labour and Rutland: Whissendine to an Independent

Independents / Localists gained two seats but lost three:
* gained Rutland: Whissendine from Liberal Democrat and West Lancashire: Derby (as OWL) from Conservative
* lost Moray: Elgin City North, North Dorset: Blandford Central and Powys: Yscir all to Conservatives

There were 33 by-elections for 34 seats held on 8 June with 7 (21%) changing hands. The results can be summarised by:

Party
   Candidates    
    Defended    
     Retained     
       Gained       
         Lost         
         Won         
retention rate
Conservative
33
20
14

6
14
70%
Labour
29
13
13
4

17
100%
Liberal Democrat 
28


2

2

Green
20






UKIP
8
1


1

0%
Independent ^
3


1

1

Lincolnshire Independent 
1






No Description
2






Other ^^
2






Total
126
34
27
7
7
34
79%

 ^  3 Independents contested 2 seats
^^ End Austerity and Republic

Labour gained 4 seats from the Conservatives
Ashford: Victoria on a swing of ~ 5% since 2015
- 2 member ward electing 1 Labour / 1 Conservative in 2015, 1 Liberal Democrat / 1 Conservative in 2011 and 2 Liberal Democrats in both 2007 & 2003
Canterbury: Westgate on a swing of ~ 13% from Conservative and ~12% from Liberal Democrat since 2015
- 2 member ward electing 1 Conservative / 1 Liberal Democrat in 2015 but 3 member ward of same name elected 3 Liberal Democrats in 2011, 2007 & 2003
Peterborough: East on a swing of ~13½% since 2016
- 3 member ward electing 2 Conservative / 1 Labour in 2016 when ward was created
Welwyn & Hatfield: Hatfield Villages with a majority of 7 votes on a swing of ~ 4¼% since 2016
- 3 member ward electing 3 Conservatives in 2016 but previous ward of same name elected Conservatives each year since 2008

Liberal Democrats gained 1 seat from Conservatives and 1 from UKIP
Mid Sussex: Hassocks where a 2 vacancy contest saw 1 Conservative / 1 Liberal Democrat elected on a swing of ~5% since 2015 and ~ ¾% since 2011
- 3 member ward electing 3 Conservatives in 2015, 2 Conservative / 1 Liberal Democrat in 2011 & 2007 but 3 Conservatives in 2003
- the new Liberal Democrat Councillor was elected for the party in 2007 and 2011 but did not stand in 2015
Torridge: Hartland & Bradworthy from UKIP who did not contest the seat; Liberal Democrat polled 57½% in straight fight with Green
- 2 member ward with Independent / UKIP in 2015, 2 Liberal Democrat in 2011, Liberal Democrat / Independent in 2007 & 2 Independent unopposed in 2003

Independent gained Bromsgrove, Alvechurch Village from Conservative in a normally Conservative area where Independent gained County seat last month
- single member ward created in 2015 when Conservative polled 46% against Green and UKIP opponents.


With all the results now known of the 33 by-elections for 34 seats held on 8 June along with the 3 elections deferred from 4 May, the position is: 

Conservative held seats - 20 defended 
with 14 retained and 6 lost - 4 to Labour, 1 to Liberal Democrats and 1 to Independents
Ashford BC, Bockhanger - hold
Ashford BC, Victoria - Labour gain
Broadland DC, Cotishall - hold
Bromsgrove DC, Alvechurch Village - Independent gain
Broxtowe BC, Toton & Chilwell Meadows - hold
Calderdale MB, Raistrick - hold
Canterbury BC, Westgate - Labour gain
Copeland BC, Newtown - hold
Crawley BC, Pound Hill South & Worth - hold
Dacorum BC, Bovingdon. Flauden & Chipperfield - hold
Hammersmith & Fulham LB, Sands End - hold
Lewes DC, Seaford West - hold
Mid Sussex DC, Hassocks (2 vacancies) - 1 Conservative hold, 1 Liberal Democrat gain
North Kesteven DC, Ashby de la Launde & Cranwell - hold
North Kesteven DC, Heighington & Washborough - hold
Peterborough UA, East - Labour gain
Welwyn & Hatfield BC, Hatfield Villages - Labour gainWest Berkshire UA, Thatcham South & Cookham - hold
West Lancashire BC, Aughton Park - hold

Labour held seats - 13 defended, all retained
Blackburn with Darwen UA, Higher Croft - hold
Bury MB, Radcliffe East - hold
Calderdale MB, Todmorden - hold
Hammersmith & Fulham LB, Avonmore & Brook Green - hold
Leicester UA, Castle - hold
Liverpool MB, Kirkdale - hold
Luton UA, Sundon Park - hold
North Lincolnshire, Brumby - hold
Oldham MB, Royton North - hold
Salford MB, Claremont - hold
Stockport MB, Brinnington & Central - hold
York UA, Hull Road - hold
York UA, Micklegate - hold

UKIP held seat - 1
Torridge DC, Hartland & Bradworthy - Liberal Democrat gain from UKIP who did not defend the seat

Deferred elections on 8 June - 3Ceridigion UA, Llandyfriog - Plaid Cymru hold, returned unopposed
Cornwall UA, Bodmin St Petroc - Liberal Democrat hold
Merthyr Tydfil UA, Cyfarthfa - 1 Independent, 1 Merthyr Independent, 1 Labour elected

There were 6 by-elections in the final 3 weeks of May with 1 (17%) changing hands. The results can be summarised by:

Party  Contested      Defended       Retained        Gained             Lost               Won        retention rate
Conservative 
6
1
1
1

2
100%
Labour
5
3
3


3
100%
Liberal Democrat 
5






Green
2






UKIP
4






Independent
1
2
1

1
1
50%
No Description
1






Total
24
6
5
1
1
6
83%

Conservative gained Richmondshire, Reeth & Arkengarthdale from Independent in an unopposed election
- single member ward previously returned Independents, unopposed in 2003 & 2007 and with 75% + share of the vote in 2011, 2014 by-election as well as 2015

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