Labour nets Thanet

The latest updates on local electoral information are as follows.

Results

• Hertfordshire: The byelection in Bushey North division on 21 January was won by Jane West. Conservative hold.
• St Helens: The byelection in Thatto Heath ward on 21 January was won by Nova Charlton. Labour hold.
• South Lanarkshire: The byelection in Hamilton North and East ward on 21 January was won by Stephanie Callaghan. Scottish National Party hold.
• Southwark: The byelection in Faraday ward on 21 January was won by Samantha Jury-Dada. Labour hold.
• Thanet: The byelection in Newington ward on 21 January was won by Karen Constantine. Labour gain from UK Independence Party.
• Wealden: The byelection in Crowborough East ward on 21 January was won by Philip Lunn. Conservative hold.

Changes of allegiance

• Lancaster: Sam Armstrong, who was elected for the Green Party in University and Scotforth ward, has joined the Labour Party. His move gives Labour exactly half of the members of the council.
• Moray: Dennis Slater, who was elected as an Independent in Heldon and Laich ward at an October 2015 byelection, has joined the Independent group which forms the council administration. The opposition Scottish National Party group has drawn attention to his election pledge not to do so.
• Newcastle-under-Lyme: Two councillors have left the Labour group to join the Borough Independent Group. Bert Proctor (Audley and Bignall End ward) resigned as planning cabinet member, and cites the national leadership of the Labour Party as the reason; he has been joined by Billy Welsh (Madeley ward).
• Tendring: Peter Cawthron (Alton Park ward) has left the UK Independence Party group over internal dissent within the local party.
• West Dunbartonshire: Marie McNair, who was elected as an Independent in Clydebank Waterfront ward (after previously winning as a Labour candidate), has joined the Scottish National Party.

New vacancies

• Bolton: Hulton ward, after the death of Conservative councillor Alan Walsh. His term was due to end in May so there will be no byelection for a replacement.
• Cambridgeshire: St Neots Eaton Socon and Eynesbury division, after the death of Independent county councillor Steve van de Kerkhove. Term ends 2017.
• Cumbria: Kendal Strickland and Fell division, after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor John McCreesh. Term ends 2017.
• East Hampshire: Clanfield and Finchdean ward, after the resignation of Conservative councillor Tony Denton. Term ends 2019.
• Huntingdonshire: St Neots Eynesbury ward, after the death of Independent councillor Steve van de Kerkhove. Term ends 2018.
• Richmondshire: Central Richmond ward, after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor John Robinson. Term ends 2019.
• Stockport: Cheadle Hulme South ward, after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Lenny Grice. As his term was due to end in May, there will be no byelection.

Date for byelection

• East Dorset: The byelection due in Aderholt ward will be held on 3 March.

Other updates

• Bath and North East Somerset: There will be a referendum on 10 March on whether to change governance to a directly-elected Mayor, after a valid petition was presented.
• Bristol: The whole council will be up for election on 5 May, on new ward boundaries. Bristol has decided to switch to full council elections, simultaneous with the Mayoral election, on a four year cycle from 2016.
• Cherwell: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.
• Colchester: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.
• Gloucester: The whole council will be up for election on 5 May, on new ward boundaries. Gloucester has decided to switch to full council elections on a four year cycle from 2016.
• Knowsley: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.
• Lincoln: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.
• North Tyneside: There will be a referendum on 5 May (the same day as the council elections) on whether to end the directly-elected Mayor and return to the committee system of governance.
• Peterborough: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.
• Rochford: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.
• Rotherham: Several areas of council functions have been returned to local control, away from the Commissioners who were appointed to run the council by the Secretary of State.
• Sheffield: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.
• Stroud: The whole council will be up for election on 5 May, on new ward boundaries. Stroud has decided to switch to full council elections on a four year cycle from 2016.
• Winchester: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.
• Woking: There will be a full council election in May, on new ward boundaries. The council will then revert to electing by thirds.

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