Town and Community Council Byelections

[Foggy]

Absolutely outstanding work, listener. I find it utterly astonishing that there are 4 Labour councillors and 1 Green in Chipping Norton.

I have relatives in Newbury, but they do not appear to live in Victoria ward. The A-road and railway line seem to make very neat west-east and north-south dividing lines respectively for ward boundaries there.

[ColinJ]

May 1, 2016 19:05:38 GMT listener said:

Abbots Langley (Leavesden) in Three Rivers (Hertfordshire)

Resignation of Martin Brooks (Lib Dem)

Candidates: Lab, Lib Dem, TUSC, Con

7 May 2015 – Lib Dem 1542/1424/1413/1308/1289 (4 elected), Con 1378 (elected), Lab 643/592/584/544/492, TUSC 147
2 May 2013 – by-election – Lib Dem 500, UKIP 180, Con 166, Lab 122
5 May 2011 – Lib Dem 1068/934/808/775/774 (5 elected), Con 501, Lab 268/239/236/210/201
3 May 2007 – Lib Dem 929/888/867/822/797 (5 elected), Con 291

Current council composition: Lib Dem 12, Con 2, Vacant 1

You are to be congratulated on your meticulous work listener , it must have taken hours to compile all the details posted.

With regard to Leavesden parish ward, if you want a full history since 2007 then a couple of additional by-elections need to be added:

7 May 2015 – Lib Dem 1542/1424/1413/1308/1289 (4 elected), Con 1378 (elected), Lab 643/592/584/544/492, TUSC 147
2 May 2013 – by-election – Lib Dem 500, UKIP 180, Con 166, Lab 122
5 May 2011 – Lib Dem 1068/934/808/775/774 (5 elected), Con 501, Lab 268/239/236/210/201
6 June 2009 - by-election - Lib Dem 864, Con 362, Lab 127
27 March 2008 - by-election - Lib Dem 865, Lab 79
3 May 2007 – Lib Dem 929/888/867/822/797 (5 elected), Con 291

For amusement, I've highlighted my scores in these contests in bold (Mrs ColinJ was the Labour candidate in 2009).  Ward boundaries were altered in Abbots Langley in 2015: Leavesden was the only one without any change, so results are directly comparable.

I have just purchased and am awaiting from ebay C.W. Clark's 90-page booklet, The 'Newfangled Scheme', being a history of the first hundred years (1894-1994) of Abbots Langley Parish Council.

[Harry Hayfield]

It is not strictly a by-election but tonight Cllr. Gerallt Lewis (Plaid representative on Llansantffraed Community Council) announced his intention to stand down at the next elections in May 2017. Gerallt (who is a piano tuner by trade) was first elected to the council in 2008 and polled 321 votes at that election (coming fourth overall) and has been chairman twice during my membership (2011/2012 and 2015/2016)

[listener]

One more political town council by-election tomorrow:


Wantage (Segsbury) in Vale of White Horse

Death of Bill Jones (Con)

Candidates: Lib Dem, Lab, Con

7 May 2015 – Lib Dem 1473 (elected), Con 1147/1973/960/927/845/815 (4 elected), No Description 868 (elected)
5 May 2011 – Lib Dem 697/536/466/461/434 (2 elected), Con 688/646/620/330 (3 elected), Lab 617/385 (1 elected)
3 May 2007 – Lib Dem 583/427/425/348/338 (4 elected), Con 383/379 (2 elected), Lab 289/279/193/190/174

Current council composition: Con 11, Lib Dem 3, Green Party 1, No Description 1

[listener]

I reported earlier that Lab took the seat on Rugeley Town Council unopposed. This was an uncharacteristic result and is in fact the only Labour seat currently on Rugeley Town Council


Rugeley (Hagley) in Cannock Chase

Death of Mrs Pat Williams (Independent)

Pat Williams was a Lib Dem elected in 2007 and 2011, who was returned in 2015 as an Independent.

Candidates: Lab - unopposed

7 May 2015 – 3 Independent and 1 Independent Member of Rugeley Traders Association unopposed, 1 vacancy for co-option
5 May 2011 – Lib Dem 503/489/452/436 (5 elected), Con 327/289
3 May 2007 – 5 Lib Dem elected, 2 Lab defeated

Current council composition: Independent 7, Independent Members of Rugeley Traders Association 3, Lib Dem 3, Con 2, Green Party 1, UKIP 1, Co-opted 2

[listener]

There are also full council elections for new town councils in Bingley (Bradford), Kidderminster (Wyre Forest) and Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham).

Bingley (16 seats in 8 wards) - 16 Lab, 8 Con, 7 Independent, 6 Better Bingley, 4 UKIP, 1 Lib Dem, 1 No Description, 1, Supporting Eldwick and Bingley Communities 1 (44 candidates)
Kidderminster (18 seats in 6 wards) - 15 Lab, 15 UKIP, 12 Con, 10 Lib Dem, 8 ICHC (Independent and Community Health Concern), 5 Green Party, 3 Independent, 1 No Description (69 candidates)
Sutton Coldfield (24 seats in 4 wards) - 24 Con, 14 Independents for Sutton, 8 Lib Dem, 7 Lab, 3 Green Party, 2 UKIP, 1 Independent, 1 No Description (60 candidates)

There are contested full parish council elections for the new parish of Finham in Coventry (10 seats) and for new parish councils in Darlington, following boundary changes - Hurworth (12 seats) and Middleton St. George (10 seats).

Finally - there are contested non-political by-elections in
Barnard Castle (Barnard Castle West) in Durham
Egremont (Egremont South) in Copeland
Heybridge (West) in Maldon
Much Hadham (3 seats) in East Hertfordshire

[Harry Hayfield]

May 4, 2016 19:53:41 GMT listener said:

There are also full council elections for new town councils in Bingley (Bradford), Kidderminster (Wyre Forest) and Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham).

Bingley (16 seats in 8 wards) - 16 Lab, 8 Con, 7 Independent, 6 Better Bingley, 4 UKIP, 1 Lib Dem, 1 No Description, 1, Supporting Eldwick and Bingley Communities 1 (44 candidates)
Kidderminster (18 seats in 6 wards) - 15 Lab, 15 UKIP, 12 Con, 10 Lib Dem, 8 ICHC (Independent and Community Health Concern), 5 Green Party, 3 Independent, 1 No Description (69 candidates)
Sutton Coldfield (24 seats in 4 wards) - 24 Con, 14 Independents for Sutton, 8 Lib Dem, 7 Lab, 3 Green Party, 2 UKIP, 1 Independent, 1 No Description (60 candidates)

There are contested full parish council elections for the new parish of Finham in Coventry (10 seats) and for new parish councils in Darlington, following boundary changes - Hurworth (12 seats) and Middleton St. George (10 seats).

Finally - there are contested non-political by-elections in
Barnard Castle (Barnard Castle West) in Durham
Egremont (Egremont South) in Copeland
Heybridge (West) in Maldon
Much Hadham (3 seats) in East Hertfordshire

If I was making an educated guess about Sutton Coldfield I would say 16 Con, 6 Sutton Independents, 1 Lib Dem and maybe a Green?

[Pete Whitehead]

May 4, 2016 21:59:36 GMT Harry Hayfield said:

May 4, 2016 19:53:41 GMT listener said:

There are also full council elections for new town councils in Bingley (Bradford), Kidderminster (Wyre Forest) and Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham).

Bingley (16 seats in 8 wards) - 16 Lab, 8 Con, 7 Independent, 6 Better Bingley, 4 UKIP, 1 Lib Dem, 1 No Description, 1, Supporting Eldwick and Bingley Communities 1 (44 candidates)
Kidderminster (18 seats in 6 wards) - 15 Lab, 15 UKIP, 12 Con, 10 Lib Dem, 8 ICHC (Independent and Community Health Concern), 5 Green Party, 3 Independent, 1 No Description (69 candidates)
Sutton Coldfield (24 seats in 4 wards) - 24 Con, 14 Independents for Sutton, 8 Lib Dem, 7 Lab, 3 Green Party, 2 UKIP, 1 Independent, 1 No Description (60 candidates)

There are contested full parish council elections for the new parish of Finham in Coventry (10 seats) and for new parish councils in Darlington, following boundary changes - Hurworth (12 seats) and Middleton St. George (10 seats).

Finally - there are contested non-political by-elections in
Barnard Castle (Barnard Castle West) in Durham
Egremont (Egremont South) in Copeland
Heybridge (West) in Maldon
Much Hadham (3 seats) in East Hertfordshire

If I was making an educated guess about Sutton Coldfield I would say 16 Con, 6 Sutton Independents, 1 Lib Dem and maybe a Green?

Is that really an 'educated' guess as opposed to plucking numbers out of thin air? There's never been any significant Green support anywhere in Sutton and not much Lib Dem support for many a long year. Perhaps you know something about some of the candidates from those parties that I don't, but then you haven't noticed that Rob Pocock is standing in Vesey. He may have a tough job holding onto his city council seat but I'd think he's almost nailed on to be elected to the parish council - certainly far more likely than any Lib Dem or Green. A UKIP candidate may be more likely to get lucky too

[J.G.Harston]

Late update, J.G.Harston   co-opted onto Whitby Town Council. New council: No Political Affiliation: 14, Vacant: 5. 

[East Anglian Lefty]

Which group are you in?

[J.G.Harston]

May 6, 2016 9:25:16 GMT East Anglian Lefty said:

Which group are you in?

Before I joined the council my ward was a Vacancy stronghold.

[gwynthegriff]

Result from Winsford TC (Over Ward)

(byelection caused by nominations cock-up last time)

Lab 362 Lab 352 LD 345 elected

Lab 319 Con 293 LD 290 LD 267 C 231 C220 not elected

[listener]

Winsford (Over) is 2 Lab holds and a Lib Dem gain from Conservative.

The two Labour councillors were re-elected, whilst the Conservative councillor was defeated by the Lib Dem, who brought the petition. In fact she came bottom of the poll of 9 candidates.

[peterl]

Kidderminster Town Council results are in.

You can see the full results at the link I posted, but in summary

Kidderminster Aggborough and Spennells ICHC 1 Ind 2

Kidderminster Blakebrook and Habberley South Con 2 Lab 1

Kidderminster Broadwaters ICHC 3

Kidderminster Foley Park and Hoobrook Con 2 UKIP 1

Kidderminster Franche and Habberley North Lab 2 Con 1

Kidderminster Offmore and Comberton UKIP 1 Con 1 LD 1

Total Con 6 ICHC 4 Lab 3 UKIP 2 Ind 2 LD 1

[peterl]

Sutton Coldfield Town Council

Sutton New Hall Con 6

Sutton Four Oaks Con 6

Sutton Trinity Con 5 Ind 1

Sutton Vesey Ind 3 Lab 2 Con 1

Total Con 18 Ind 4 Lab 2

[peterl]

Chipping Norton in West Oxfordshire

(? Resignation) of Richard Benfield (Con)

Candidates: Con, Lab, Green Party, UKIP, No Description

7 May 2015 – Lab 1587/1091/1090/1025 (4 elected), Con 1478/1380/1377/1302/1250/1178/1176/1156 (8 elected), Independent 1440/1270/898 (3 elected), Green Party 1043 (elected), UKIP 601, No Description 543/432

22 May 2014 (by-election) – Lab 922 (elected), Con 798, UKIP 300

5 May 2011 – Lab 1265/710/683 (3 elected), Independent 1170/1003/883/748 (4 elected), No Description 1039/432 (1 elected), Con 998/913/820/812/812/809/717/713/641 (8 elected), Transition Chipping Norton 504/498/491/465

3 May 2007 – Lab 1032/878/788/738/513/508 (4 elected), Independent 1030/822/781/604 (4 elected), Con 894/744/695/683 (4 elected), Chippy First 729/723/608/606/568/527/478 (4 elected), Green Party 493

Current council composition: Con 7, Lab 4, Independent 3, Green Party 1, Vacant 1

A Labour gain by one vote.

Labour 855, Con 854, UKIP 163, Green 140, ND 74, 43.52% turnout.

New composition: Con 7, Lab 5, Independent 3, Green Party 1

[peterl]

Newbury (Victoria) in West Berkshire

Resignation of Emma Green (Con), after relocating to Manchester

Candidates: Con, No Description, UKIP, Lib Dem, Lab, Green Party, Apolitical Democrats

7 May 2015 – Con 896/879/875/848 (4 elected), Lib Dem 845/840/814/780, Lab 446
5 May 2011 – Lib Dem 696/621/600/589 (4 elected), Con 516/512/442/437, Lab 184, Apolitical Democrats 140/107/98/98
3 May 2007 – Lib Dem 631/631/613/586 (4 elected), Con 551/513/486/471

Current council composition: Con 17, Lib Dem 5, Vacant 1

Lib Dem gain from Conservative.

Lib Dems 487, Con 307, Green 174, Labour 142, UKIP 118, Apolitical Democrats 23, ND 20, turnout 34%. New composition: Con 17, Lib Dem 6.

[froome]

Glastonbury St Benedicts ward by-election.

caused by Green councillor stepping down due to ill health.

Result was Con 245, Green 235, LD 120.

The Green party were the largest party but this means that Greens and Conservatives now have the same number of councillors on the council, so control will depend on the votes of the 3 Lib Dems and one Independent. The mayor will be selected at a meeting this week.

[ColinJ]

The Leavesden ward (Abbots Langley PC) result from Thursday was:

L/Dem 930, Con 380, Lab 259, TUSC 59

It is interesting to compare with the simultaneous Three Rivers District Council election, where UKIP stood:

L/Dem 885, Con 309, Lab 233, UKIP 187, TUSC 19

So..... as a first approximation the 187 UKIP votes divided as follows:

To L/Dem 45, to Con 71, to Lab 26, to TUSC 40 [!], to spoilt 5

[iain]

TUSC noticeably also did well out of UKIP not standing in a couple of Sheffield wards.