Erasure of a Tory seat in Pendle

The latest updates on local electoral information are as follows.

Results

• Barnet: The byelection in Finchley Church End ward held on 6 March was won by Josh Mastin-Lee. Conservative hold.
• Canterbury: The byelection in Gorrell ward held on 6 March was won by Stuart Heaver. Green Party hold.
• Canterbury: The byelection in Herne and Broomfield ward held on 6 March was won by Grace Paget. Conservative hold.
• Canterbury: The byelection in St Stephen’s ward held on 6 March was won by Beth Forrester. Green Party hold.
• Carmarthenshire: The byelection in Llanddarog ward held on 6 March was won by Shone Hughes. Plaid Cymru hold.
• Eastleigh: The byelection in Hamble and Netley ward held on 6 March was won by Prad Bains. Liberal Democrat hold.
• Hounslow: The byelection in Brentford East ward held on 6 March was won by Max Mosley. Labour hold.
• Hounslow: The byelection in Syon and Brentford Lock ward held on 6 March was won by Theo Dennison. Independent gain from Labour.
• Pendle: The byelection in Vivary Bridge ward held on 6 March was won by Andy Bell. Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative.

Defections

• Aberdeen: Kairin van Sweeden, who was elected for the Scottish National Party in Tillydrone/Seaton/Old Aberdeen ward but stepped back from the group over a standards issue, has returned to the group after being cleared.
• Ashford: Bill Barrett, who was elected for the Conservatives in Singleton East ward, but joined the Ashford Independents in June 2023 only to leave them last month, has now joined Reform UK.
• Dudley: Andrew Tromans, who was elected for the Labour Party in Wollaston and Stourbridge Town ward but left the party in September last year and had been sitting in a ‘Unity group’ with the Liberal Democrats, has now formally joined the Liberal Democrats.
• Hertfordshire: Ron Tindall, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in Hemel Hempstead St Paul’s division, has left the group to sit as an Independent county councillor.
• Lincolnshire: Three county councillors from the South Holland Independent group have joined Reform UK. They are Robert Gibson (Spalding East division), Manzur Hasan (Spalding West division) and Jane King (Donington Rural division).
• North Northamptonshire: Kirk Harrison, who was elected for the Conservatives in Irthlingborough ward, has joined Reform UK.
• Nottingham: Shuguftah Quddoos, who was elected for the Labour Party in Berridge ward but left the party in November, has joined the Green Party.
• Oldham: Two councillors elected for the Conservatives in Royton North ward have left the party to sit as Independents. They are Christine Adams and Dave Arnott.
• Powys: Four councillors have established a Reform UK group. They are Iain McIntosh (Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew ward) and Karl Lewis (Llandinam with Dolfor ward), both of whom were elected as Conservatives; together with Geoff Morgan (Ithon Valley ward) and Claire Johnson-Wood (Llanyre with Nantmel ward), from the Powys Independents group.
• Redcar and Cleveland: Kendra Evans, who was elected for the Liberal Democrats in St Germain’s ward, has left the party and joined the Independent group. Meanwhile Justin Thompson, who was elected for the Conservatives in Skelton East ward but suspended in January, has returned to the group.
• Renfrewshire: John Gray, who was elected for the Conservatives in Renfrew North and Braehead ward, has joined Reform UK.
• South Holland: Five councillors have moved from the South Holland Independents group to Reform UK. They are Robert Gibson (Spalding St Paul’s ward), Ingrid Sheard (Spalding Monkshouse ward), Thomas Sneath (Moulton, Weston and Cowbit ward), Manzur Hasan (Spalding St John’s ward) and Jane King (Donington, Quadring and Gosberton ward). In addition Sam Chauhan (Spalding Monkshouse ward) has left the South Holland Independents to sit as a non-aligned councillor.
• South Lanarkshire: Ross Lambie, who was elected for the Conservatives in Clydesdale South ward, has joined Reform UK.
• Tamworth: Thomas Jay, who was elected for the Conservatives in Belgrave ward, has left the party to sit as an unaffiliated Independent councillor.
• Wiltshire: Edward Kirk, who was elected for the Conservatives in Trowbridge Adcroft division, but left the party in April 2024, has joined Reform UK.

New vacancies

• Brighton and Hove: Westbourne and Poet’s Corner ward, after the resignation of Labour councillor Leslie Pumm. Term ends 2027.
• Kent: Ashford Rural West division, after the death of Conservative county councillor Charlie Simkins. His term was due to end in May so no byelection will follow.
• Melton: Croxton Kerrial ward, after the resignation of Independent councillor Alan Hewson. Term ends 2027.
• Newcastle-under-Lyme: Knutton ward, after the resignation of Labour councillor Robert Moss. Term ends 2026.
• Sutton: Sutton Central ward, after the disqualification of Liberal Democrat councillor David Bartolucci, who did not attend any council meeting for six months. Term ends 2026.
• Thurrock: Ockendon ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Andrew Jeffries. Term ends 2026.
• Torridge: Appledore ward, after the disqualification of non-affiliated councillor Len Ford. Term ends 2027.
• West Berkshire: Thatcham North East ward, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Lee Dillon, now Member of Parliament for Newbury. Term ends 2027.
• West Dunbartonshire: Clydebank Waterfront ward, after the resignation of Scottish National Party councillor Jim McElhill. Term ends 2027.

Dates for byelections

• Gwynedd: The byelection due in Teigl ward will be held on 10 April.
• Haringey: The byelection due in St Ann’s ward will be held on 10 April.
• Horsham: The byelection due in Colgate and Rusper ward will be held on 17 April.
• Sutton: The byelection due in Sutton Central ward will be held on 10 April.
• Tameside: The byelection due in Longdendale ward will be held on 10 April.

Other updates

• The Local Authorities (Changes to Years of Ordinary Elections) (England) Order 2025 came into force on 4 March, and as a result nine councils have had their 2025 elections postponed to 2026. The nine are East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Norfolk, Suffolk, Surrey, Thurrock, and West Sussex. In addition three vacant seats in the affected councils are no longer be subject to the ‘six month rule’ preventing byelections – Isle of Wight, Central Rural division; Suffolk, St John’s division; Thurrock, Ockendon ward.
• Corporation of London: Following the withdrawal of several candidates, 45 out of the 100 seats are uncontested at the full Common Council election on 20 March. There will be contests in 11 out of the 25 wards.

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