Follow the Van

The latest updates on local electoral information are as follows.

Results

• Caerphilly: The byelection in Van ward held on 19 February was won by Jeff Grenfell. Plaid Cymru gain from Labour.
• Leicester: The byelection in Stoneygate ward held on 19 February was won by Aasiya Bora. Green Party gain from Labour.
• Redcar and Cleveland: The byelection in Zetland ward held on 19 February was won by Alison Barnes. Liberal Democrat gain from an Independent councillor who had been elected as Labour.

Defections

• Brighton and Hove: Jackie O’Quinn, who was elected for the Labour Party in Goldsmid ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• Cardiff: Susan Elsmore, who was elected for the Labour Party in Canton ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• East Riding of Yorkshire: Maria Bowtell, who was elected for the Conservatives in Bridlington Central and Old Town ward, joined Reform UK in March 2024 but then left it a year later, has now joined Restore Britain.
• Havering: Two Conservative councillors have joined Reform UK. They are Christine Vickery (Squirrels Heath ward) and Robert Benham (Rush Green and Crowlands ward).
• Hertfordshire: Peter Colley, who was elected for Reform UK in Bedwell division, announced on Tuesday that he had joined Restore Britain.
• Kent: Seven councillors have joined Restore Britain. All were originally elected for Reform UK but had left the party. Three were in the Independent Group: Brian Black (Maidstone Rural South division), Oliver Bradshaw (Maidstone Central division), and Paul Thomas (Maidstone South division); three others were sitting as ungrouped Independents: Dean Burns (Ashford East division), Maxine Fothergill (Sevenoaks Rural North East division), and Isabella Kemp (Sheppey division). One was in the Independent Reformers group: Robert Ford (Maidstone Rural West division).
• Kirklees: Two councillors who were elected for the Labour Party but left to join ‘Community Alliance’ in October 2024, have now left the Community Alliance group to sit as an Independents. They are Ammar Anwar (Dewsbury West ward) and Yusra Hussain (Batley West ward).
• Leicestershire: Charles Whitford, who was elected for Reform UK in Markfield, Desford and Thornton division, has joined Restore Britain.
• North Northamptonshire: Two councillors elected for Reform UK announced they had joined Restore Britain. They are Jack Goncalvez (Rushden Lakes ward), who has stayed, and Darren Rance (Brickhill and Queensway ward), who has had second thoughts.
• Sandwell: David Wilkes, who was elected for the Conservatives in Princes End ward, but then defected to Labour and then sat as an Independent, has now joined Advance UK.
• South Cambridgeshire: Mark Howell, who was elected for the Conservatives in Caxton and Papworth ward but left the party when he stood as an Independent in the county council election last year, has now returned to the Conservatives.
• Southampton: Lee Whitbread, who was elected for the Labour Party in Redbridge ward, has been suspended from the party whip and is sitting as an Independent.
• Southwark: James McAsh, who was elected for the Labour Party in Goose Green ward, has joined the Green Party.
• Spelthorne: Mary Bing Dong, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in Sunbury Common ward but joined the Conservatives in April 2024, has now left them to sit as an unaffiliated Independent councillor.
• Surrey Heath: John Skipper, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in Heatherside ward but left the party in December, has now joined the Green Party.
• Walsall: Keith Sears, who was elected for the Conservatives in Aldridge North and Walsall Wood ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor. As a result the Conservatives no longer have an overall majority on the council.
• Warrington: John Roddy, who was elected for Reform UK in Bewsey and Whitecross ward, has joined the Conservative Party.
• Warwickshire: Reform UK have expelled two county councillors who were believed to be planning a defection to Restore UK. They are Scott Cameron (Coleshill South and Arley division) and Luke Cooper (Studley division). Both are currently sitting as Independents.
• Waverley: Kika Mirylees, who was elected for the Farnham Residents in Farnham Firgrove ward, has left the group to sit as an Independent councillor.
• Windsor and Maidenhead: Jack Douglas, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in St Mary’s ward but left the party in December, has now joined the Borough First Independents.

New vacancies

• Ealing: Central Greenford ward, after the death of Labour councillor Dr Aysha Raza. Her term was due to end in May so no byelection follows.
• Kent: Cliftonville division, after the disqualification of Independent county councillor Daniel Taylor following a sentence of imprisonment. He was elected for Reform UK. Term ends 2029.
• Leicestershire: Narborough and Whetstone division, after the resignation of Reform UK county councillor Andrew Thorp. Term ends 2029.
• Luton: Wigmore ward, after the disqualification of Liberal Democrat councillor Alan Skepelhorn for failure to attend meetings. Term ends 2027.
• Salford: Barton and Winton ward, after the death of Labour councillor David Lancaster who is believed to have been England’s longest serving councillor – since 1965. Term ends 2027.

Dates for byelections

• Luton: The byelection due in Wigmore ward will be held on 2 April.
• North Lincolnshire: The byelection due in Axholme Central ward will be held on 26 March.
• North Lincolnshire: The byelection due in Brumby ward will be held on 26 March.
• Sevenoaks: The byelection due in Halstead, Knockholt and Badgers Mount ward will be held on 26 March.

Other updates

• As widely reported, the Government has accepted legal advice that the Order to delay elections due in May in 30 local authorities would be unlawful, and has withdrawn it so that these elections will now go ahead. We understand that three Norfolk county councillors who had announced their intention to resign in order to force elections on 7 May (Simon Ring, Emma Corlett and Maxine Webb) will not now do so.

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