Horsham switchover

The latest updates on local electoral information are as follows.

Results

• East Riding of Yorkshire: The byelection in Minster and Woodmansey ward held on 29 February was won by Tony Henderson. Liberal Democrat hold.
• East Riding of Yorkshire: The byelection in Tranby ward held on 29 February was won by Ross Harrison. Liberal Democrat hold.
• Great Yarmouth: The byelection in Central and Northgate ward held on 29 February was won by James Dwyer-McCluskey. Labour hold.
• Horsham: The byelection in Henfield ward held on 29 February was won by Gill Perry. The Green Party win a seat previously held by an Independent councillor.
• Horsham: The byelection in Southwater North ward held on 29 February was won by Claire Vickers. Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat.

Changes of allegiance

• Burnley: Neil Mottershead, who was elected for the Burnley and Padiham Independent Party in Gannow ward but became Independent when the party was wound up, has joined the Conservative Party.
• Calderdale: Rahat Khan, who was elected for the Labour Party in Park ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• Dudley: Peter Miller, who was elected for the Conservatives in Kingswinford South ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• East Hertfordshire: Chris Hart, who was elected for the Green Party in Ware Trinity 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, has joined Reform UK.
• Enfield: Thomas Fawns, who was elected for the Labour Party in Upper Edmonton ward, has been suspended from the group.
• Essex: Ross Playle, who was elected for the Conservatives in Witham Northern division, has left the party to join the Independent group.
• Falkirk: Claire Brown, who was elected for the Conservatives in Upper Braes ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• Hastings: Claire Carr, who was elected for the Labour Party in Castle ward but joined the Green Party in December 2021, has now left the party sit as an Independent councillor.
• Highland: Patrick Logue, who was elected for the Conservatives in Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh ward but left the group last year, has joined the Liberal Democrats. It is also noted that Karl Rosie (Thurso and Northwest Caithness), who recently left the Scottish National Party, has now joined the Highland Independent group.
• Lambeth: The Labour group has responded to several of its members breaking the whip at a full council meeting in January by suspending their membership. Martin Abrams (Streatham St Leonard’s) is suspended indefinitely, Deepak Sardiwal (Herne Hill and Loughborough Junction ward) and Sonia Winifred (Knight’s Hill ward) for three months, and Sarina Da Silva (Waterloo and South Bank ward) for two months.
• Medway: Two Labour councillors have had the whip suspended after reports of a Christmas party fight. They are Stephen Hubbard (Strood North and Frindsbury ward), and Satinder Shokar (Strood West ward). Meanwhile Elizabeth Turpin, elected for the Conservativves in Strood Rural ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent member.
• Mid Devon: Jamie Frost, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in Tiverton Westexe ward, has left the party to sit as an Independent councillor.
• North Northamptonshire: Two councillors representing Rothwell and Mawsley ward have left the Conservatives to sit as Independents. They are Cedwien Brown and Joseph Smyth.
• Stroud: Helen Fenton, who was elected for the Labour Party in Chalford ward but left the party in September 2022 to sit as an Independent, has now joined the Green Party. It is also noted that Nicholas Housden, elected for the Conservatives in Stonehouse ward but suspended from the whip for some time, has now returned to the group.
• Thurrock: Jack Duffin and Alex Anderson, who were elected for the Conservatives in Stanford East and Corringham Town ward, have had the whip suspended after voting against the budget. Duffin has since announced he is leaving the party. As a result the Conservatives no longer have an overall majority.
• Woking: The Mayor of Woking M Ilyas Raja, who was elected for the Labour Party in Canalside ward, has left the party and is sitting as an Independent councillor.

New vacancies

• East Cambridgeshire: Ely West ward, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Robert Pitt. Term ends 2027.
• Lambeth: Knight’s Hill ward, after the resignation of Sonia Winifred, in reaction to her suspension from the Labour group. Term ends 2026.
• North Ayrshire: Kilwinning ward, after the death of Conservative councillor John Glover. Term ends 2027.
• North Yorkshire: Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone ward, after the resignation of Independent unaffiliated councillor Pat Marsh who was elected for the Liberal Democrats. Term ends 2027.
• Wealden: Uckfield New Town ward, after the disqualification of Independent councillor Spike Mayhew who did not attend any council meetings for six months. Term ends 2027.

Dates for byelections

• Cornwall: The byelection due in Looe West, Pelynt, Lansallos and Lanteglos division will be held on 4 April.
• East Cambridgeshire: The byelection due in Ely West ward will be held on 18 April.
• North Northamptonshire: The byelection due in Desborough ward will be held on 4 April.
• Wealden: The byelection due in Uckfield New Town ward will be held on 4 April.

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