Friday 20 August 2021

COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 19.08.21


There were seven council by-elections on Thursday, plus a re-run of the Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner election from May.  The PCC election was being held again after the victorious Tory candidate was immediately barred from office over an undeclared drink driving offence.  The Tories successfully held the post, albeit with a much reduced majority thanks to the £1 million cost of having to stage the election again.  Labour, who finished third in May's void election, slipped to fourth.

Labour were fairly anonymous this week, with nothing to defend and failing to contest three elections in Aberdeenshire and Kent that they had previously contested.  It was a mixed night for the Tories, who held two, lost two and gained one.  The Lib Dems will be more than happy with two holds and a gain.

Wiltshire Police & Crime Commissioner

(50% threshold for victory)

Philip Wilkinson (Con) 32,564 (36.0%)
Mike Rees (Ind) 25,197 (27.8%)
Brian Mathew (LDem) 17,966 (19.8%)
Junab Ali (Lab) 12,971 (14.3%)
Julian Malins (RefUK) 1,859 (2.1%)

Final Round

Jonathon Seed (Con) 52.0%
Liz Webster (Ind) 48.0%

Con HOLD

Mid Formartine, Aberdeenshire Council

(First preference votes)

Con: 1,480 (45.7%) +11.1%
SNP: 1,205 (37.2%) +11.4%
LDem: 412 (12.7%) +3.3%
Grn: 144 (4.4%) New

Con GAIN from SNP (elected at stage 3)

Downs North, Ashford Borough Council

Grn: 273 (51.8%) +20.8%
Con: 239 (45.4%) +7.9%
LDem: 15 (2.8%) -8.6%

Grn GAIN from Con

Sandwich, Dover District Council

Con: 721 (51.6%) +37.2%
LDem: 676 (48.4%) +14.1%

Con HOLD

East Wolds & Coastal, East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Con: 1,190 (54.0%) -2.3%
Lab: 447 (20.3%) +7.2%
York: 347 (15.7%) New
Grn: 142 (6.4%) -24.2%
LDem: 72 (3.6%) New

Con HOLD

Littlemoor, Ribble Valley Borough Council

LDem: 281 (49.0%) -8.9%
Con: 216 (37.7%) +14.1%
Lab: 59 (10.3%) -8.2%
Grn: 17 (3.0%) New

LDem HOLD

Primrose, Ribble Valley Borough Council

LDem: 200 (43.9%) -16.5%
Con: 119 (26.1%) +10.4%
Lab: 109 (23.9%) -0.1%
Grn: 28 (6.1%) New

LDem HOLD

Oakham South, Rutland County Council

LDem: 886 (67.8%) +9.8%
Con: 420 (32.2%) -9.8%

LDem GAIN from Con

Abbreviations

Con = Conservative
LDem = Liberal Democrat
Lab = Labour
RefUK = Reform UK
SNP = Scottish National Party
Grn = Green
York = Yorkshire Party
Ind = Independents