Labour gained a seat on Kirklees borough council in Dewsbury East ward in a byelection held on 16 October. The seat had previously been held by Colin Auty who was elected as a British National Party member but fell out with the party earlier this year after his leadership challenge failed.
In Tewkesbury borough council, an Independent candidate called Brian Jones won the byelection in Churchdown Brookfield ward from the Liberal Democrats. Brian Jones had previously been a Conservative borough councillor and stood as a Conservative candidate for Gloucestershire county council in the area, but stood as an Independent against Conservative nominees in both 2007 and this byelection.
Two byelections resulted in the incumbent party holding them. In Redcar and Cleveland council, Labour held South Bank ward, and in Watford borough council, the Liberal Democrats held Tudor ward (where the Conservative vote collapsed in the week that former Parliamentary candidate Ian Oakley was sentenced).
There is one recent defection to note: Mark Gadd, elected as a Liberal Democrat in New Mills East ward to High Peak borough council, has joined the Conservatives.
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