The latest updates on local electoral information are as follows.
Result
- Isle of Wight: The byelection in Central Wight division on 25 January was won by Steve Hastings. Conservative hold.
Changes of allegiance
- Babergh: Alan Ferguson, who was elected for the Conservative Party in South Cosford ward, has left the party. He has joined the Independent Conservatives group together with John Hinton and Stephen Williams (both Dodnash ward).
- East Renfrewshire: Paul Aitken, who was elected for the Conservatives in Barrhead, Liboside and Uplawmoor ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
- Hartlepool: Five out of the six members of the UK Independence Party group have left the party to form the Hartlepool Independent Group. They are Bob Buchan (Fens and Rossmere ward), Tim Fleming and Shane Moore (Headland and Harbour ward), and George Springer and John Tennant (Jesmond ward). This leaves just Thomas Hind (Seaton ward) as a UK Independence Party member.
- Havering: John Mylod, who was elected for the Hornchurch Residents’ Association in St Andrews ward and had been sitting in the Residents’ Group, has joined the Conservative Party.
- Peterborough: Darren Fower, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in Gunthorpe ward but announced his defection to Labour last year, stated that he would now sit as an Independent councillor as the Constituency Labour Party had voted against accepting him by one vote. Meanwhile Julia Davidson, who was also elected for the Liberal Democrats in Gunthorpe ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
- Richmond upon Thames: Stephen Knight, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in Teddington ward, has joined the Labour Party – nearly two years after his partner Jennifer Churchill made the same move.
- Runnymede: Stewart Mackay, who was elected for the Conservatives in Addlestone North ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
- Spelthorne: Colin Davis, who was elected for the Conservatives in Staines ward, has left the party to sit as an unaffiliated Independent councillor.
- Thurrock: The entire UK Independence Party group of 17 councillors has seceded from the party and formed the Thurrock Independents group. Among them is Tim Aker (Aveley and Uplands ward) who remains a UK Independence Party Member of the European Parliament.
- Windsor and Maidenhead: Three councillors elected as Conservatives have left the group after the controversy over the council leader’s move to clear homeless people from the streets before the Royal wedding. First Paul Brimacombe (Cox Green ward) and Asghar Majeed (Oldfield ward) left, shortly followed by Geoff Hill (Oldfield ward).
New vacancies
- Croydon: Thornton Heath ward, after the disqualification of Independent councillor Matthew Kyeremeh who did not attend any council meeting for six months. He was originally elected for the Labour Party but had been expelled from the party in March 2016.As there are full council elections in May, there will be no byelection.
- Redcar and Cleveland: Longbeck ward, after the resignation of Independent councillor Mike Findley due to ill health. Term ends 2019.
- South Kesteven: Stamford St George’s ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Katherine Brown. Term ends 2019.
Dates for byelections
- Basingstoke and Deane: The byelection due in Kempshott ward will be held on 1 March.
- East Hampshire: The byelection due in Petersfield Bell Hill ward will be held on 8 March.
- Harlow: The byelection due in Little Parndon and Hare Street ward will be held on 8 March.
- Medway: The byelection due in Rochester West ward will be held on 8 March.
- Solihull: The byelection due in Blythe ward will be held on 1 March.
- South Kesteven: The byelection due in Stamford St George’s ward will be held on 15 March.
- South Kesteven: The byelection due in Stamford St James’s ward will be held on 15 March.
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