Local Council by-elections 24th/26th September 2024

[Tony Otim]

Tuesday 24th September:

MID SUFFOLK DC; Thurston (Grn resigned)
Candidates:
BARRICK-COOK, Oscar (Green)
HOPE, Nathan Curtis (Labour)
RICHARDSON, Harry (Conservative)

2023: Grn 1288, 1224; Con 716; LD 190; Lab 164, 132
Feb 22by: Grn 845; Con 399; LD 37; Lab 32
2019: Grn 732, 438; Con 633, 498; LD 206, 158; Ind 162; Lab 136

Harry Richardson (Con) is former councillor for the ward 2019-23 and defeated Conservative candidate in 2023.

Current Council: Grn 23; Con 6; LD 4; 1 vacancy



WAVERLEY DC; Godalming Binscombe & Charterhouse (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
BARRATT, James Crosthwaite (Liberal Democrat)
FARADAY, David Brian Foster (Green)
HUSSEINI, Daniel (Conservative)
KNIGHT, Ben (Labour)

2023: LD 1377; Grn 1280; Lab 1061; Con 984, 954, 860

Daniel Husseini was the 3rd Tory here last year. The Green elected here last year is now Independent after supporting tactical voting for the Lib Dems in the General Election.

Current Council: LD 22; Farnham Res 13; Con 10; Lab & Aligned Ind 2 (1 Lab, 1 Ind); Unaligned Ind 2; 1 vacancy



Thursday 26th September:

DENBIGHSHIRE UA; Rhyl Trellewelyn (Lab died):
Candidates:
BLACKWELL, Mike (Labour)
MORRIS, Andrew (Liberal Democrat)
PRICE, Will (Conservative)
RHYS, Bleddyn (Plaid Cymru)

2022: Lab 453, 445; Ind 333; Con 199, 192; PC 142

Bleddyn Rhys was the Plaid candidate in Rhuddlan last time out.

Current Council: Lab 15; Ind 13; PC 8; Con 7; Grn 2; Non-aligned 1; 2 vacancies



EAST STAFFORDSHIRE DC; Stretton (Con died)
Candidates:
HOLMES, Gerry (Conservative)
McKIERNAN, John (Labour)
RICKARD, Kelly (Green)

2023: Con 1158, 889, 731; Lab 791, 650,608; Ind 595

Last May, John McKiernan (Lab) stood in Town ward and Kelly Rickard (Grn) in Branston.

Current Council: Lab 21; Con 14; Ind 1; 1 vacancy



HEREFORDSHIRE UA; Credenhill (Ind died)
Candidates:
CROFTS, Mike (Labour)
EVANS, Brian Michael (Reform UK)
HOBBS, Debbie (Liberal Democrat)
JOHNSTON, Gareth Edward (Conservative)
JONES, Mike (Independent)
TAYLOR, Charlie (Independent)

2023: Ind 351; Con 308; LD 137; Ind 120
2019: Ind 717; Con 169
2015: Ind 820; Con 449; IOCH 430

Gareth Johnston was the Conservative candidate here last year and Charlie Taylor was the second independent. Clare Hobbs (Lib Dem) stood in Bromyard Bringsty. Mike Jones is the former independent councillor for Weobley ward who lost his seat in 2023. He also stood rather less successfully in the Golden Valley South by-election last year.

Current Council: Con 21; LD 12; Grn 9; Ind for Herefordshire 6; True Ind 2; Lab 1; Ungrouped 1;



HIGHLAND UA; Cromarty Firth x2 (Highland Ind and LD resigned)
Candidates:
BARROWMAN, Ryan (Green)
COGHILL, Sinclair (Independent)
CROSS, Richard James (Independent)
EDMONDSON, John (Liberal Democrat)
GODLEY-MACKENZIE, Brideen (Independent)
HANNING JACKSON, Kim (Reform UK)
HANNING JACKSON, Roland (Reform UK)
MacDONALD, Odette (SNP)
McCAFFERY, Tina (Independent)
MUNRO, Innes (Conservative)
PERERA, Michael (Labour)
RATTRAY, Martin (Independent)

2022: SNP 1127; LD 1079; Ind 679, 283, 122, 45; Con 261; Lab 162; Grn 112
2017: INd 1108, 405, 322 (Rattray), 108; SNP 801, 579; Con 346; LD 278; Lab 155

The 2 independents elected in 2022 were the 2 SNP councillors elected in 2017. Martin Rattray has stood here previously, as independent in 2017, having been Lib Dem cllr for the ward on previous boundaries 2007-17. He stood for the Lib Dems in Inverness Central in 2022. Tina McCaffery also stood here as independent back in 2012. Michael Perera (Lab) stood in the Sept 23 by-election in Tain and Easter Ross and was the Labour candidate for Inverness, Skye & West Ross-shire (which doesn’t include this ward) at the General Election.


HIGHLAND UA; Inverness Central (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
BARNETT, Andrew (Green)
GREGSON, Michael (Labour)
LEWCOCK, Chris (Liberal Democrat)
MacGREGOR, Martin (SNP)
MacKENZIE, Donald (Conservative)
RICHMOND, Iain (Reform UK)

2022: SNP 769, 589; Lab 793; Con 420; Grn 245; LD 211; Ind 141, 26; TUSC 47; SFP 45
Nov 19by: SNP 1015; Con 345; Ind 277; LD 237; Grn 220; Lab 154
2017: SNP 1122; Lab 577; Ind 522, 360, 50; Con 426; Grn 208; LD 154

Andrew Barnett (Grn) was the top Indy here in 2022, but has contested both subsequent Tain and Easter Ross by-elections for the Greens. Donald Mackenzie stood here for the Conservatives in both 2017 and 2022.

Current Council: SNP 21; Highland Ind 17; LD 13; Con 8; Highland All 6; Grn 4; Alba 1; Lab 1; 3 vacancies



LUTON UA; Barnfield (Lib Dem resigned)
Candidates:
ALI, Ash (Conservative)
CARPENTER, Edward (Green)
MALIK, Anwar (Liberal Democrat)
ROY, Karen (Labour)
SCHEIMANN, Marc (Independent)

2023: LD 1690, 1627, 1551; Lab 1174, 956, 932; Con 378, 371, 274

Edward Carpenter was the Green candidate in Luton South & South Bedfordshire at the General Election (this ward is nearly all in Luton North), but stood for the Conservatives in Lewsey in 2023. Also in 2023, Ash Ali (Con) stood in Northwell and Anwar Malik (LD) stood in Saints. Marc Scheimann (Ind)is a former Green candidate.


LUTON UA; Wigmore (Lib Dem resigned)
Candidates:
AHMED, Farid (Labour)
COTTIER, Carolyn (Independent)
GORDON, Elissa Brooke (Green)
LATIF, Adrees (Liberal Democrat)
TURNER, Philip James (Conservative)

2023: LD 1809, 1760; Lab 374, 337

In 2023 Adrees Latif (LD) stood in Beech Hill and Philip Turner (Con) in Northwell.

Current Council: Lab 29; LD 13; Con 3; Ind 1; 2 vacancies



PERTH & KINROSS UA; Perth City North (Lab resigned following election as MP for Alloa & Grangemouth)
Candidates:
DAVIDSON, Sonia (Reform UK)
MAIR, Carol (SNP)
NG-A-MANN, Tina Jane (Liberal Democrat)
NKWOCHA-DYER, Kirsten (Labour)
REHMAN, Aziz (Conservative)
REID, Robert (Alba)
RIPLEY, Caitlin (Greens)

2022: SNP 1129, 779; Con 677; Lab 530; LD 147; Grn 120; Alba 75
Nov 20by: SNP 1406; Con 528; Lab 220; LD 91; Grn 60
2017: SNP 1290, 480; Con 933; Lab 577; LD 126; Ind 113, 91, 37

Aziz Rehman was the Conservative candidate here in 2022 and 2020 – he missed out on the 3rd seat by just 2 votes after transfers in 2022. Tina Ng-A-Mann stood for the Lib Dems in Almond & Earn in 2022,


PERTH & KINROSS UA; Strathallan (Con resigned)
Candidates:
McCRACKEN, Ken (Labour)
RUNCIMAN, Amanda (Conservative)
SCOTT, Catherine (SNP)
SUTHERLAND, Nettie (Green)
THOMAS, Ian (Reform UK)
WATT, Alan James (Liberal Democrat)

2022: Con 1420, 812; SNP 1048, 625; LD 547; Grn 333
2017: Con 1280, 1079; SNP 667, 578; LD 538; Lab 235; Grn 169; Ind 18

Catherine Scott was the unsuccessful SNP candidate in 2022.

Current Council: SNP 16; Con 13; Ind 4; LD 4; Lab 1; 2 vacancies

[Tony Otim]

* Candidate descriptions to be added when Denbighshire actually publish the SOPN and not just the notice of agents

[carolus]

Sept 2, 2024 16:40:53 GMT Tony Otim said:

* Candidate descriptions to be added when Denbighshire actually publish the SOPN and not just the notice of agents

It's up now - Lab, LD, Con, PC. www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/your-council/voting-and-elections/county-council-elections-local-elections.aspx

[greenman]

Will be interesting to see what happens in Thurston, Mid-Suffolk, with no LD candidate and in Godalming, Binscombe and Charterhouse, in Waverley, without the Labour/LD and Green alliance. Would expect Green to hold Thurston if they have been a good government in Mid-Suffolk, but for Conservative to win in Waverley unless LD can pull off a win.

[minionofmidas]

Tue Twosday byelections on one day? When's the last time that happened (different authorities, not counting the hole in London)?

[andrewteale]

Sept 20, 2024 18:41:05 GMT minionofmidas said:

Tue Twosday byelections on one day? When's the last time that happened (different authorities, not counting the hole in London)?

The last Tuesday with two different by-elections was 28th September 2021, although both of those were in the same council (Broadland).

If you discount the City of London, then the last Tuesday with by-elections in two different districts was 5th February 2013 when there were actually three polls: one in Babergh and two in Kettering.

[iang]

Do I read correctly that Martin Rattray, the Indy in Cromarty, has gone from Lib Dem to Ind,back to Lib Dem, and now back to Ind? Anyone know the story there?

[batman]

We had a councillor in R-u-T, Marc Cranfield-Adams, who defected so many times from Conservative to Lib Dem and back again that we ended up losing track and he became a joke locally. One of his defections was while Mayor.

[carlton43]

Sept 21, 2024 6:50:48 GMT iang said:

Do I read correctly that Martin Rattray, the Indy in Cromarty, has gone from Lib Dem to Ind,back to Lib Dem, and now back to Ind? Anyone know the story there?

Obviously he is an indecisive complete twerp, but as a 'partial' LD that is to be expected.

[iang]

The voice of reason...

[batman]

It is reasonable to question the suitability of someone who so regularly doesn't know which party to support for public office. Of course the LDs have long-term, faithful party servants like all the other parties, but when a defection is involved it's usually likelier than not that they will be involved. I have of course twice left the Labour Party, but I did not seek office in this period & would not seek office (not that I'm at all likely to be elected in my area anyway!) if I felt that there was a serious risk of me changing party during my term. I have never considered joining a party other than Labour.

[cathyc]

Sept 21, 2024 7:39:48 GMT carlton43 said:

Sept 21, 2024 6:50:48 GMT iang said:

Do I read correctly that Martin Rattray, the Indy in Cromarty, has gone from Lib Dem to Ind,back to Lib Dem, and now back to Ind? Anyone know the story there?

Obviously he is an indecisive complete twerp, but as a 'partial' LD that is to be expected.

I'm sure he will appreciate advice from someone like yourself who has had a complete and unswerving devotion to a single party through hell or high water.

[johnloony]

Sept 21, 2024 7:00:26 GMT batman said:

We had a councillor in R-u-T, Marc Cranfield-Adams, who defected so many times from Conservative to Lib Dem and back again that we ended up losing track and he became a joke locally. One of his defections was while Mayor.

In my ward (Fairfield, as it was then) about 20 years ago we had a councillor who was elected as a Conservative, and (within one 4-year term) defected from Con to Ind to Lab to Ind to Con to Ind to (then she tried to rejoin Labour and they told her she couldn’t) to Lib Dem. In the next election, she stood as one of the 3 Lib Dem candidates in the one ward which the Lib Dems were targeting (Coulsdon East) and came 3rd out of the 3 Lib Dem candidates (in fact, she came bottom out of all 6 candidates because there weren’t any Labour or Green candidates in the ward).

When, at the relevant council meeting, it was officially announced that a Lib Dem group of councillors was being formed (there had hitherto only been one Lib Dem councillor, so not a group), the name of the incumbent councillor was read out and got a big cheer (because he was a popular councillor) and then the name of the defecting councillor wa read out, and got a big groan from both main parties.

P.S. I heard that in her youth she regularly commuted between the Labour Party, the SDP and the CPGB. Latest I knew is that she is now back in the Conservative Party.

[carlton43]

Sept 21, 2024 8:54:15 GMT cathyc said:

Sept 21, 2024 7:39:48 GMT carlton43 said:

Obviously he is an indecisive complete twerp, but as a 'partial' LD that is to be expected.

I'm sure he will appreciate advice from someone like yourself who has had a complete and unswerving devotion to a single party through hell or high water.

Yes.  One may always learn from a master.  Many would profit from paying me heed.

I am a private individual and may be as fickle or as calculated as I choose.  I represent no one and do not stand for any political office.  If people like me failed to change party what would be the point of campaigning politics?

Have you had a career of 'complete and unswerving devotion to a single party through hell and high water'?  Surely only an unthinking poltroon would do so?  Is that you?  Probably Yes!

[johnloony]

Sept 21, 2024 6:50:48 GMT iang said:

Do I read correctly that Martin Rattray, the Indy in Cromarty, has gone from Lib Dem to Ind,back to Lib Dem, and now back to Ind? Anyone know the story there?

He’s a self-important Walter Mitty

[cathyc]

Sept 21, 2024 9:23:33 GMT carlton43 said:

Sept 21, 2024 8:54:15 GMT cathyc said:

I'm sure he will appreciate advice from someone like yourself who has had a complete and unswerving devotion to a single party through hell or high water.

Yes.  One may always learn from a master.  Many would profit from paying me heed.

I am a private individual and may be as fickle or as calculated as I choose.  I represent no one and do not stand for any political office.  If people like me failed to change party what would be the point of campaigning politics?

Have you had a career of 'complete and unswerving devotion to a single party through hell and high water'?  Surely only an unthinking poltroon would do so?  Is that you?  Probably Yes!

Is it one of those irregular verbs:

I am a private individual;
You are an unthing poltroon;
He/she/it is a fickle twerp?

[andrewteale]

Sept 2, 2024 16:40:05 GMT Tony Otim said:

HIGHLAND UA; Cromarty Firth x2 (Highland Ind and LD resigned)
Candidates:
BARROWMAN, Ryan (Green)
COGHILL, Sinclair (Independent)
CROSS, Richard James (Independent)
EDMONDSON, John (Liberal Democrat)
GODLEY-MACKENZIE, Brideen (Independent)
HANNING JACKSON, Kim (Reform UK)
HANNING JACKSON, Roland (Reform UK)
MacDONALD, Odette (SNP)
McCAFFERY, Tina (Independent)
MUNRO, Innes (Conservative)
PERERA, Michael (Labour)
RATTRAY, Martin (Independent)

2022: SNP 1127; LD 1079; Ind 679, 283, 122, 45; Con 261; Lab 162; Grn 112
2017: INd 1108, 405, 322 (Rattray), 108; SNP 801, 579; Con 346; LD 278; Lab 155

The 2 independents elected in 2022 were the 2 SNP councillors elected in 2017. Martin Rattray has stood here previously, as independent in 2017, having been Lib Dem cllr for the ward on previous boundaries 2007-17. He stood for the Lib Dems in Inverness Central in 2022. Tina McCaffery also stood here as independent back in 2012. Michael Perera (Lab) stood in the Sept 23 by-election in Tain and Easter Ross and was the Labour candidate for Inverness, Skye & West Ross-shire (which doesn’t include this ward) at the General Election.

Just been having a look at the preference profile for this ward from 2022.

If we rerun the count for two seats, they go to the Lib Dems and the SNP: eliminating all candidates other than the top three gives LD 1346 SNP 1248 Ind (Munro) 1047.

The SNP and the Lib Dems both clearly undernominated. If the Lib Dems had gone for two seats, then their second candidate would have picked up the Conservative transfers and won. If the SNP had gone for two seats and the Lib Dems hadn't, then the SNP probably get two but there might still have been a seat for the second independent (Morley-Smith) if the SNP fail to balance their candidates.

Rerunning the Inverness Central 2022 count for one seat gives SNP 1456 Lab 1270.

[Merseymike]

Which Independent candidates are in the running(Cromarty)?

[sanders]

Sept 2, 2024 16:40:05 GMT Tony Otim said:

Tuesday 24th September...

WAVERLEY DC; Godalming Binscombe & Charterhouse (Lab resigned)
Candidates:
BARRATT, James Crosthwaite (Liberal Democrat)
FARADAY, David Brian Foster (Green)
HUSSEINI, Daniel (Conservative)
KNIGHT, Ben (Labour)

2023: LD 1377; Grn 1280; Lab 1061; Con 984, 954, 860

Daniel Husseini was the 3rd Tory here last year. The Green elected here last year is now Independent after supporting tactical voting for the Lib Dems in the General Election.

Current Council: LD 22; Farnham Res 13; Con 10; Lab & Aligned Ind 2 (1 Lab, 1 Ind); Unaligned Ind 2; 1 vacancy

A Labour defence in Surrey is a rare thing. When was the last by-election Labour were defending in that county? I believe that, since Hunt won the seat, he may have carried that ward or got close to it. I wonder how much of that ward is people working at Charterhouse School, and how they vote? Obviously it's an independent school, but still, some of the staff may well vote Labour. The close-ish result for first place last time may suggest one of the centre or centre left parties, or the Greens may coalesce around the other to beat the Tories. That said, if Hunt carried the ward, and if the WFP issue is especially salient in that corner of the Home Counties, then the Tories may win. The abnsece of Reform may help them a bit, albeit despite the fact that Waverley isn't Reform-friendly, whereas I could see them doing OK in a by-election in Spelthorne. 

[Davıd Boothroyd]

? 4 November 2014 when there was a byelection in Old Dean ward of Surrey Heath?