Local Council by-elections 6th/7th September 2023

[Tony Otim]

After some fairly terrible weeks, this set might actually offer some opportunities to the Conservatives:

6th September

SPELTHORNE DC; Ashford Town (Ind Grn elected as Grn resigned)
Candidates:
COUCHMAN, Paul Dennis (TUSC)
ENRIGHT, John Anthony Cornelius (Independent)
KLUTH, Mark Joseph (Labour)
O’BRIEN, Rory (Reform UK)
WHITMORE, Stuart John (Green)
WOODWARD, Paul Norman (Conservative)

2023: Ind 801, 519, 499; Con 725, 653, 651; Grn 677, 548; Lab 571
2019: Con 988, 896, 874; Grn 691, 641; Lab 444, 354; UKIP 324
2015: Con 1926, 1451, 1329; UKIP 1242; Lab 952, 710; Spel Ind 739, 716; Grn 683
2011: Ind 1273; Con 1186, 1165, 1055
2007: Con 1156, 1123, 1084; LD 420, 389; Lab 366, 341
2003: Con 937, 899, 865; Lab 443; LD 416, 410

Paul Woodward was the third Conservatve candidate in May and Mark Kluth was the Labour candidate. Stuart Whitmore won a 2022 by-election in Laleham & Shepperton Green ward for the Greens, but failed to hold his seat by 37 votes in May. Paul Couchman also stood for TUSC in that ward. John Enright contested Ashford East in May and Rory O’Brien stood for Reform in Sunbury Common.

Current Council: Con 12; LD 10; Ind Spelthorne Grp 7; Lab 7; Grn 2; 1 vacancy



7th September

BROADLAND DC; Thorpe St Andrew North West (Lab died)
Candidates:
BERRY, Peter Charles (Conservative)
FERRIS, Carol Ann (Labour)
MORGAN, Victor Frederick (Liberal Democrat)

2023: Lab 1129, 1073, 1022; Con 989, 947, 934; LD 256, 218, 137
Oct 22by: Lab 860; Con 635; LD 165
2019: Con 1184, 1064, 1042; Lab 612, 601, 601; LD 313, 309, 302
2015: Con 2136, 1844, 1834; Lab 1450, 1182, 1156; UKIP 877; LD 490, 472, 358
2011: Con 1394, 1313, 1298; Lab 919, 893, 880; UKIP 288; LD 270
2007: Con 1325, 1246, 1210; Lab 648, 634, 582; LD 341, 287, 273
2004: Con 1121, 1012, 1001; Lab 864, 800, 797; LD 470, 445, 410

Peter Berry was the top Conservative candidate here in May and was also the candidate in last October’s by-election. Carol Ferris stood for Labour in Thorpe St Andrew South East in May, missing the third seat by 57 vote, and Victor Morgan stood for the Lib Dems in Acle.

Current Council: Con 21; LD 14; Lab 7; Grn 4; 1 vacancy



HEREFORDSHIRE UA; Golden Valley South (Ind 4 Herefordshire died) NOW POSTPONED
Candidates:
GREENOW, Dave (Conservative)
GRENAR, Sandy (Labour)
HORNSEY, Cat (Liberal Democrat)
JONES, Mike (Independent)
MURCOTT, Toby Howard Latutin (Independent)

2023: Ind 594; Con 400; LD 142
2019: Ind 805; Con 149; Lab 142
Sep 17by: Ind 462; Con 254; Ind 152; Grn 109; Lab 104
2015: Con 1364; Grn 357; Ind 351

Dave Greenow was the unsuccessful Conservative here in May. Cat Hornsey narrowly missed out for the Lib Dems in Dinedor Hill. Mike Jones was the previous councillor for Weobley who lost his seat to the Conservatives in May.

Current Council: Con 21; LD 12; Grn 9; Ind for Herefordshire 5; True Independents 3; Lab 1; Ungrouped 1; 1 vacancy.



MANCHESTER MBC; Brooklands (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
BUCZKOWSKA, Grace (Green)
DECENT, Norman David (Conservative)
EVANS, Dylan Anthony (Reform UK)
MARSH, Dave (Labour)
STEWART, Euan Thomas (Liberal Democrat)

2023: Lab 1777; Con 324; Grn 274; RefUK 168; LD 133.
2002: Lab 1652; Con 631; Grn 310; LD 152
2021: Lab , 1686, 1499; Con 689, 672; Grn 385, 219; LD 112, 75; OMRLP 57
2019: Lab 1336; Con 463; UKIP 389; Grn 301; LD 203
2018: Lab 1684, 1635, 1486; Con 763, 705, 634; Grn 313; LD 153, 134, 117

Vacancy is for the 2021-24 term. The Green and Reform candidates stood here in May, with the Grace Buczkowska having contested the last 4 elections here for the Greens. Dave Marsh was the defeated Labour candidate in Woodhouse Park. Norman Decent was the Conservative candidate here in 2022.

Current Council: Lab 87; Grn 4; LD 4; 1 vacancy



NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME DC; Audley (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
LEWIS, Rebekah Siobhan (Labour)
O’DWYER, Duran Benjamin (Independent)
RUDD, Sally Jane (Conservative)
WEMYSS, Andrew Robert (Liberal Democrat)

2022: Lab 1120, 845, 814; Con 883, 855, 805; LD 291, 199
2018: Ind 986; Lab 818, 714, 574; LD 773, 208, 183; Con 529, 501, 357

Sally Rudd was the 3rd Conservative candidate last year and Andrew Wemyss was the top Lib Dem and also contested the Audley & Chesterton county division in 2021.


NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME DC; Knutton (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
HUCKFIELD, Derrick (Conservative)
JENKINS, Aidan Mark (Liberal Democrat)
MOSS, Robert Ian (Labour)

2022: Lab 239; Con 172; Ind 88
Nov 21by: Con 188; Lab 180
2018: Lab 355; Con 120

Derrick Huckfield won the 2021 by-election for the Conservatives, but was unsuccessful in defendinf the seat last May. He was previously UKIP councillor for the old Knutton and Silverdale ward from 2007-2011 and 2014-2018. He is also sitting county councillor for the Keele, Knutton & Silverdale county division since 2021, having previously held the seat for UKIP 2013-2017. Robert Moss stood for Labour in Kidsgrove & Ravenscliffe last year whilst Aidan Jenkins contested Crackley & Red Street for the Lib Dems.

Current council: Con 25; Lab 17; 2 vacancies



SHROPSHIRE UA; Worfield (Con resigned)
Candidates:
FLYNN, Shanthi (Labour)
SHERRINGTON, Andrew John (Liberal Democrat)
WOOD, Michael Linden (Conservative)

2021: Con 754; LD 147; Grn 105
2017: Con 754; Lab 117; LD 111
2013: Con 607; UKIP 256
2009: Con 898; Ind 287; LD 246

Michael Wood is the former Conservative councillor for the division 2009-2021.

Current Council: Con 40; LD 15; Lab 10; Grn 4; Ind 4; 1 vacancy

[tucson]

Newcastle Audley Ward,
the Independent candidate sits on Audley Rural Parish Council as a Liberal Party councillor (co-opted, not elected)

[iang]

He missed an opportunity with his middle name

[finsobruce]

Aug 14, 2023 8:34:21 GMT iang said:

He missed an opportunity with his middle name

Has he a sister called Barbarella? I think we should be told.

[batman]

so Labour & the Greens standing against each other in Spelthorne. Is this the end of the local progressive alliance or merely an interlude? Meanwhile Paul Couchman will end up losing even more elections than me if he carries on standing as frequently.

[The Bishop]

They did also both contest this one in May tbf.

[batman]

They did, but they only stood a total of 3 candidates between them for the 3 seats.

[timrollpickering]

CITY OF LONDON; Bread Street, Alderman (Independent putting up for re-election)

Candidates:

LOVEDAY, Sarah Jo (Independent)
RUSSELL, William Anthony Bowater (Independent)

2022 (council): Ind 105, 84, 60, Women's Equality Party 31
2018 (Alderman): Ind [William Russell] (incumbent) unopposed
2017 (council): Ind 136, 126, 46, 31
2013 (council): Ind 114, 110, Lab 6
2013 (Alderman): Ind [William Russell] 85, 40

Diamond Geezer's guide to the ward

Russell was first elected in 2013 and served as Lord Mayor from 2019-2021; the first to serve a second term since 1885 and the first to have consecutive terms since 1861. Loveday appears to be a first time candidate.

Current Council: Not Specified 118 (including the incumbent), Labour 5, 2 vacancies

[John Chanin]

Aug 24, 2023 11:38:46 GMT timrollpickering said:

CITY OF LONDON; Bread Street, Alderman (Independent putting up for re-election)

Candidates:

LOVEDAY, Sarah Jo (Independent)
RUSSELL, William Anthony Bowater (Independent)

2022 (council): Ind 105, 84, 60, Women's Equality Party 31
2018 (Alderman): Ind [William Russell] (incumbent) unopposed
2017 (council): Ind 136, 126, 46, 31
2013 (Alderman): Ind 114, 110, Lab 6
2013 (council): Ind [William Russell] 85, 40

Diamond Geezer's guide to the ward

Russell was first elected in 2013 and served as Lord Mayor from 2019-2021; the first to serve a second term since 1885 and the first to have consecutive terms since 1861. Loveday appears to be a first time candidate.

Current Council: Not Specified 118 (including the incumbent), Labour 5, 2 vacancies

The guide is wonderfully spiky:

"Peering through the doors of the closed City of London Information Centre I saw a red bus fridge magnet, a rubber duck dressed as William Shakespeare, and a copy of the Brighton food and drink guide"

[wallington]

Aug 14, 2023 8:54:43 GMT batman said:

so Labour & the Greens standing against each other in Spelthorne. Is this the end of the local progressive alliance or merely an interlude? Meanwhile Paul Couchman will end up losing even more elections than me if he carries on standing as frequently.

I don't think the pact between the Lib Dems, Labour, Greens and others really worked out exactly as they would have liked. I may be wrong, as im not working off the numbers right now, but I recall it wasn't the great victory for the 'progressive alliance' and may have hindered results if anything.

[timrollpickering]

In the City the challenger's election slogan is "Knead for Change: Let's Bake a Brighter Future for Bread Street Ward!"

[finsobruce]

Aug 25, 2023 8:12:19 GMT timrollpickering said:

In the City the challenger's election slogan is "Knead for Change: Let's Bake a Brighter Future for Bread Street Ward!"

Hoping for a rise in their vote among the upper crust, etc,etc.

[The Bishop]

Aug 24, 2023 18:41:51 GMT wallington said:

Aug 14, 2023 8:54:43 GMT batman said:

so Labour & the Greens standing against each other in Spelthorne. Is this the end of the local progressive alliance or merely an interlude? Meanwhile Paul Couchman will end up losing even more elections than me if he carries on standing as frequently.

I don't think the pact between the Lib Dems, Labour, Greens and others really worked out exactly as they would have liked. I may be wrong, as im not working off the numbers right now, but I recall it wasn't the great victory for the 'progressive alliance' and may have hindered results if anything.

It wasn't as extreme as Bracknell Forest, but the Tories still lost around half their seats so it can maybe be considered a qualified success overall.

[Tony Otim]

They should join here with puns like that...

[Tony Otim]

Aug 25, 2023 9:19:55 GMT The Bishop said:

Aug 24, 2023 18:41:51 GMT wallington said:

I don't think the pact between the Lib Dems, Labour, Greens and others really worked out exactly as they would have liked. I may be wrong, as im not working off the numbers right now, but I recall it wasn't the great victory for the 'progressive alliance' and may have hindered results if anything.

It wasn't as extreme as Bracknell Forest, but the Tories still lost around half their seats so it can maybe be considered a qualified success overall.

Although most of the Conservative losses were to independents who weren't part of the alliance and the only Labour and Lib Dem gains came in wards where they were the only challengers to the Conservatives (ie no candidates from the other 2 parties), the split slates in some wards seem to have been much less successful...

[carolus]

Aug 25, 2023 9:25:25 GMT Tony Otim said:

Aug 25, 2023 9:19:55 GMT The Bishop said:

It wasn't as extreme as Bracknell Forest, but the Tories still lost around half their seats so it can maybe be considered a qualified success overall.

Although most of the Conservative losses were to independents who weren't part of the alliance and the only Labour and Lib Dem gains came in wards where they were the only challengers to the Conservatives (ie no candidates from the other 2 parties), the split slates in some wards seem to have been much less successful...

The idea of standing split slates like this always strikes me as quite odd - I don't really see the advantage. In most cases I'd've thought it's preferable for everyone involved to just allocate wards, which would be simpler for everyone, and allow parties to focus their campaigning. Of course there are a few exceptions such as already split wards (like Staines South in Spelthorne) where naturally neither party is going to abandon incumbents. And I'm not even convinced the track record of them is of working particularly well - I'd be unsurprised if they lead to worse outcomes than splitting by ward instead.

[redvers]

Aug 25, 2023 9:19:55 GMT The Bishop said:

Aug 24, 2023 18:41:51 GMT wallington said:

I don't think the pact between the Lib Dems, Labour, Greens and others really worked out exactly as they would have liked. I may be wrong, as im not working off the numbers right now, but I recall it wasn't the great victory for the 'progressive alliance' and may have hindered results if anything.

It wasn't as extreme as Bracknell Forest, but the Tories still lost around half their seats so it can maybe be considered a qualified success overall.

Big up Bracknell Forest

[tucson]

Newcastle (surprisingly) counting from 2230 on Thursday night

[maxque]

Aug 29, 2023 8:28:34 GMT tucson said:

Newcastle (surprisingly) counting from 2230 on Thursday night

Surprisingly? Didn't they replaced Sunderland as the fastest counting council on general election night?

[aidypiez]

Aug 29, 2023 22:31:12 GMT maxque said:

Aug 29, 2023 8:28:34 GMT tucson said:

Newcastle (surprisingly) counting from 2230 on Thursday night

Surprisingly? Didn't they replaced Sunderland as the fastest counting council on general election night?

Wrong Newcastle!