Two principal council by-elections were held last Thursday. The Lib Dems in Cambridgeshire (CC) narrowly missed out on holding their seat in Romsey ward, falling 47 votes short of Labour. LD candidate Nichola Martin polled 35.2%, a decrease of 12.7% from the ward’s last election two years ago.
The contest in South Kesteven (DC), which saw three seats up in a deferred contest, resulted in three holds as two Independents and one Conservative won election, mirroring the 2011 result. Adam Brookes received 7.8% of votes cast in finishing fifth out of eight candidates, with the party not standing a candidate four years ago.
Elsewhere, Lib Dems picked up six seats in town and parish councils. The party won all five of the seats up in a deferred election in Abbots Langley and Bedmond ward on Abbots Langley Parish council. The Lib Dem team control the council, now holding 13 of the 15 seats. In Falmouth (TC), Mathew McCarthy won the by-election in Penwerris ward in a gain from the independents, becoming the second Lib Dem on the Town Council.
There are three principal council by-elections scheduled for this week, with the Conservative defending all three seats. In Cardiff (UA), the Conservatives will be defending their seat in Pentyrch ward, following the resignation of new Cardiff North MP Craig Williams. Cadan ap Tomos will be standing for the Lib Dems. Geraldine Locke is the LD candidate in Hampton Wick ward in Richmond-on-Thames (LB) with no Lib Dem candidate being fielded in the Grantham Barrowby ward election in Lincolnshire (CC).
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