There were four principal local council by-elections held on Thursday 28th July and one on Tuesday 26th . The Tories held three seats, the Lib Dem held one and Labour gained one off Independents. In the only parish or town council by-election results reported to ALDC an Independent took a seat off the Tories.
In Warrington we got hammered in May 2010, but not quite as badly as other areas in the north. We ended up with a majority of one for the LibDem/Con coalition that had been running the council. In May 2011 it got worse and we lost further seats and control of the Council. Our remaining councillor in the Poulton North ward resigned having taken a job in the south of England. We knew it would be a tough fight and stood our very popular councillor who had lost in May after seven years on the council. He has a tremendous reputation in the ward.
We did a full canvass in our two best and highest turn-out polling districts and quite a lot in another. We did not canvass the other two small polling districts, which have poor turnout and are mostly Labour. We delivered everywhere. We did three Focuses and an Eve of Poll. On polling Day we did a good morning leaflet to Ds and Ps and then two knock ups with different leaflets until after 9pm. We did a Postal voter letter and insert ‘How to do it’ card and an eve of poll handwritten letter to supporters.
Labour threw the kitchen sink at us, accusing us of an unnecessary, expensive election and of secret deals to build on green land. They did six leaflets including three full colour glossies – one an A3. They were mostly negative attacks on “Con/Dem cuts” eg save the NHS petition; save Peel Hall Park petition (based on a made up story that Lib Dems were talking to developers!!!) They put up a Leeds based college student as their candidate.
The Tories put up a candidate who did three leaflets.
This is a ward we have won with large majorities in the past – 743 in 2008 with 59.9% of the vote. The fact that Labour can still get that close, with a weak candidate, shows that Labour people are still voting tribally, are getting better at campaigning but can still be beaten.
Other byelections:
Bush Hill Park – London Borough of Enfield
Beardwood with Lammack – Blackburn and Darwin UA
Stanmore Park – London Borough of Harrow
Snatchwood – Torfaen County Borough Council (Tuesday result)