COUNCIL BY-ELECTIONS 05.03.26

Five council seats were up for grabs this week, with one Labour defence taking place in Staffordshire.  That Tamworth by-election is a tough one to call, with both Reform and the Greens debuting in a historically Tory ward that was gained by Labour three years ago.  Labour won't hold here, we reckon this could be a rare Conservative gain.

Both Reform and the Greens are defending a seat each elsewhere in England, which will both almost certainly be holds.  Two independent seats are also being filled, both east of London.  In Essex a local independent group - affiliated with the Greens - is likely to hold.  Meanwhile in Kent a free-for-all contest could go any number of ways, but we see this being a Reform gain.

Two out of five correct, woeful...

Coggeshall, Braintree District Council

(result to follow)

Ind HOLD

Murton, Durham County Council

Lab: 1,004 (50.6%) +17.6%

Ref: 786 (39.6%) -4.5%

Grn: 95 (4.8%) New

Con: 61 (3.1%) -2.0%

LDm: 38 (1.9%) -2.3%

Lab GAIN from Ref

Hextable. Sevenoaks District Council

Con: 600 (38.9%) +19.3%

Ref: 406 (26.3%) New

LDm: 367 (23.8%) New

Ind: 108 (7.0%) New

Grn: 62 (4.0%) New

Con GAIN from Ind

Thrupp, Stroud District Council

(result to follow)

Grn HOLD

Spital, Tamworth Borough Council

Ref: 719 (44.6%) New

Grn: 337 (20.4%) New

Con: 319 (19.4%) -18.9%

Lab: 273 (16.6%) -23.4%

Ref GAIN from Lab