Voters bring new party into the line-up
AN UNEXPECTED surge by the Liberal Democrats shaved Labour’s majority to just five in Hull on a night of high drama which also saw the city’s first Asian councillor elected.
Labour Group secretary Chris Sumpton and veteran Labour councillor Terry Geraghty both lost their seats, though the party retained control of the council. Deputy Labour group leader Daren Hale said: “The Liberals were saying some weeks ago there was a serious risk of them taking control.
“The new boundary map does not lie and Labour is still significantly the largest party in Hull. We are delighted with our strong showing.”
Lib Dem group leader Mike Ross said: “We are seven up and I put this down to the tremendous support from residents across the city who recognise the hard work and dedication of Liberal Democrat councillors.
“We are winning as far apart as Pickering Road and Bransholme and it shows that the Labour party in this city has taken many communities in the city for granted for too long.”
Aneesa Akbar, 26, said it was an “immense honour and privilege” to be Hull’s first Asian councillor after being elected for Labour in the Central ward.
Miss Akbar, who studied politics at Hull University and works for social landlord Sanctuary Housing, said people could not have been kinder since she had moved to the city from Manchester. She said: “I think Hull is moving in the right direction in terms of tolerance and openness.” The final tally was Labour 31 seats, Liberal Democrats 24 and Conservatives two. The number of seats fell from 59 to 57 as a result of boundary changes.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring North East Lincolnshire, no party commanded overall control, but Labour retain the most seats.
The balance of power rested on Immingham ward, where four recounts were carried out before a result was announced. Following the death of councillor Mike Burton, two seats were up for election.
The make-up of the council is now Labour 19 seats, Conservatives 18, Liberal Democrats four and one independent. Labour won five seats on the night, while the Conservatives won nine. A LIBERAL Democrat councillor has been elected in Barnsley in a decision by voters which brings a new party into the authority’s political make-up.
Hannah Kitching stood in the Penistone West ward, where a seat was vacated by retiring councillor Joe Unsworth, who had represented Labour, and won by a convincing majority of 1,741 votes, ahead of Labour candidate Jo Newing’s 963 and 840 recorded for Conservative candidate Alex Wilkinson.
In the other upset of the elections, independent councillor Jack Carr lost his Dodworth seat by just 23 votes – coming second to Labour candidate Neil Wright, who took 956 votes.
Councillors also stood down in the Old Town and Stairfoot wards, with successful candidates Clive Pickering and Janine Bowler joining the authority, both representing Labour as their predecessors had.
In the Rockingham ward James Andrews, representing Labour, achieved 1,242 votes against three other candidates.
The second was Conservative Michael Davies, with 524 votes.