The Green Party secured an unexpected and massive byelection gain on 13 August in the Hertford ward of Scarborough borough council, where Nick Harvey won in a seat previously held by the Conservatives. A second Scarborough byelection also resulted in a change of parties in the Streonshalh ward in Whitby, where Sandra Turner (Independent) took the seat which had previously been held by the Liberal Democrats.
In Holsworthy ward on Torridge district council, Pamela Johns (current Committee Chairman of Holsworthy Rotary Club) won the seat from the Liberal Democrats. She had no description on the ballot paper but we understand she is unofficially allied with the Conservatives. The final byelection of the night was in Gaywood Chase ward of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk borough council where John Dobson (who was Leader of the council in 2003-07 before he stood down to battle cancer) held the seat for the Conservatives, although with a majority of only 8 votes over Labour.
Three Labour councillors on Swansea city council have recently left the party to sit as non-aligned councillors. The three are Roger Smith (Clydach ward), Glyn Seabourne (Gorseinon ward) and Mair Gibbs (Bonymaen ward).
On Medway council, an apparent dispute over the selection of Labour candidate for the byelection in Luton and Wayfield ward has led its two remaining councillors Tony and Val Goulden to leave the Labour group to sit as Independent members of the council. Meanwhile on East Lothian council, another husband and wife pair of councillors Ruth Currie (Fa’side ward) and Stuart Currie (Preston/Seton/Gosford ward) have left the Liberal Democrats to join the Scottish National Party. The council is run by a coalition of the two groups.
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