Lib Dems nail gain in Bromsgrove

The latest updates on local electoral information are as follows.

Results

• Barnet: The byelection in Hendon ward held on 30 October was won by Shimon Ryde. Conservative hold.
• Stevenage: The byelection in Roebuck ward held on 30 October was won by Rob Henry. Reform UK gain from Labour.
• Stirling: The byelection in Stirling East ward held on 30 October was won by Josh Fyvie. Scottish National Party gain from Conservative.
• Thanet: The byelection in Garlinge ward held on 30 October was won by Darren Oxborrow. Reform UK gain from Thanet Independents (who did not defend the seat).
• Tunbridge Wells: The byelection in St John’s ward held on 30 October was won by Ukonu Obasi. Liberal Democrat hold.
• Worcestershire: The byelection in Bromsgrove South division held on 30 October was won by Sam Ammar. Liberal Democrat gain from Reform UK.

Defections

• Brent: Raja Rajan-Seelan, who was elected for the Labour Party in Wembley Central ward, has left the party. Although reported to have joined the Conservatives, he is currently an Independent councillor.
• Bristol: Al Al-Maghrabi, who was elected for the Labour Party in Frome Vale ward, has joined the Green Party.
• Cornwall: A split in the Reform UK group has led to the formation of the ‘Cornish Independent Nonaligned Group’ under the leadership of Rowland O’Connor (St Columb Major, St Mawgan and St Wenn division) – who resigned the Reform UK whip a few weeks ago. Four more councillors elected for Reform UK have joined: Rob Parsonage (Torpoint division), Christine Parsonage (St Columb Minor and Colan division), Karen Knight (Camborne West and Treswithian division) and Anna Thomason-Kenyon (Constantine, Mabe and Mawnan division).
• Dartford: James Buchan, who was elected for Reform UK in Stone House ward, has joined the Conservative Party.
• Edinburgh: Lezley Marion Cameron, who was elected for the Labour Party in Liberton / Gilmerton ward, has been suspended from the whip for three weeks and is temporarily sitting as an Independent.
• Hillingdon: Naser Abby, who was elected for the Labour Party in Yiewsley ward, has been suspended from the party whip and is sitting as an Independent councillor. Meanwhile Scott Farley, who left Labour to sit as an Independent councillor in September, has now joined the Hayes Independent Party group.
• Kensington and Chelsea: Toby Benton, who was elected for the Labour Party in Colville ward and was reported two weeks ago to have joined the Green Party, has instead joined the Independent Group on the council (although he has said he is an individual member of the Green Party).
• Kent: Reform UK have now expelled five councillors who it had previously suspended: Bill Barrett (Ashford Rural South division), Oliver Bradshaw (Maidstone Central division), Maxine Fothergill (Sevenoaks Rural North East division) and Paul Thomas (Maidstone South division), all of whom were first suspended last week, plus Brian Black (Maidstone Rural South division) who was first suspended a few days ago.
• Norfolk: Bill Borrett, who was elected for the Conservatives in Elmham and Mattishall division, has had the whip suspended after opposing the county’s devolution deal.
• Nottingham: Six councillors have formed the Nottingham People’s Alliance group. All were elected for the Labour Party. They are AJ Matsiko (Sherwood ward), who left Labour in April after being suspended, together with five others who were previously within the Labour group: Kirsty Jones (Mapperley ward), Faith Gakanje-Ajala (Bilborough ward), Imran Jalil (Lenton and Wollaton East ward), Naim Salim (Hyson Green and Arboretum ward) and Anwar Khan (St Anns ward).
• South Kesteven: Mark Whittington, who was elected for the Conservatives in Grantham Barrowby Gate ward but joined Reform UK at the beginning of October, has now left Reform UK and will sit as an Independent unaffiliated councillor.
• Three Rivers: Mike Sims, who was elected for the Conservatives in Rickmansworth Town ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.

New vacancies

• Blackpool: Greenlands ward, after the resignation of Labour councillor Julie Jones. Term ends 2027.
• Caerphilly: Penyrheol ward, after the resignation of Plaid Cymru councillor Lindsay Whittle, now Member of the Senedd for Caerphilly. Term ends 2027.
• East Devon: Seaton ward, after the resignation of Independent councillor Del Haggerty, who was elected for the Conservatives. Term ends 2027.
• Flintshire: Leeswood ward, after the death of Labour councillor Ray Hughes. Term ends 2027.
• Harborough: Market Harborough Logan ward, after the resignation of Independent councillor Geraldine Whitmore, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats. Term ends 2027.
• Lancaster: Bare ward, after the disqualification of Conservative councillor Kate Knight who failed to attend any meeting in six months. Term ends 2027.
• Middlesbrough: Nunthorpe ward, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Morgan McClintock. Term ends 2027.
• South Kesteven: Aveland ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Richard Dixon-Warren. Term ends 2027.

Dates for byelections

• Derbyshire: The byelection due in Long Eaton North division will be held on Tuesday 2 December.
• East Devon: The byelection due in Exmouth Halsdon ward will be held on 4 December.
• Fife: The byelection due in Glenrothes West and Kinglassie will be held on 22 January 2026.
• Middlesbrough: The byelection due in Nunthorpe ward will be held on 4 December.
• South Kesteven: The byelection due in Aveland ward will be held on 11 December.
• South Kesteven: The byelection due in Belmont ward will be held on 11 December.
• Torridge: The byelection due in Winkleigh ward will be held on 4 December.
• Watford: The byelection due in Tudor ward will be held on 4 December.

Other updates

• The Government has decided that Surrey should form two unitary councils, divided East/West. This option was put forward by Surrey County Council and two of the districts. Elections to new shadow councils will take place in 2026 and the formal transition will take place in April 2027 (and as a result the county council election due in 2026 will be cancelled).

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