Local elections were held across Bath and North East Somerset on Thursday, 4th May.
The results have now been announced for all Bath and North East Somerset Council seats. There are fifty nine seats on the Council, fifty seven of which were up for grabs on Thursday.
The two remaining seats belong to the Paulton ward, where the election has been rearranged for a later date due to the sad and unexpected passing of Green Party candidate Tim Morgan.
Of the seats that were included in the vote, the Liberal Democrats won a landslide majority. The party now hold forty one of fifty nine seats in the region, marking their second term as the majority on B&NES Council since the 2019 elections.
The total number of seats won by each party are as follows:
Liberal Democrats - forty one seats (seven gained).
Independent - five seats (one lost).
Labour - five seats (no change).
Conservatives - three seats (eight lost).
Green Party - three seats (three gained).
Following their win, Wera Hobhouse, Liberal Democrat MP for Bath, said, “I would first like to thank all those residents who have put their faith in my friends on the Council to provide another four years of a positive, ambitious agenda. I would also like to congratulate all the candidates and volunteers who made this historic second term happen. I could not be happier for you all.”
“Over the past four years, my colleagues on the Council kept sight of the issues that really matter to everyone across the local area. Whether it be leading the fight against the climate emergency, providing affordable housing, or balancing the books, they have proven that they can govern effectively and build a forward-looking manifesto. A manifesto I am sure they will waste no time in implementing.”
“Across the country, it is clear people are fed up with this Conservative government and their terrible record. Many are now turning towards a positive vision of Britain, the vision of the Liberal Democrats.”
“These elections have shown that people refuse to be taken for granted. Instead, they have chosen to elect hardworking, local champions who will fight for their communities and demand a fair deal.”
Despite Liberal Democrats gaining seats and winning a majority vote in Bath and North East Somerset, residents in local wards have chosen representitives from a range of political parties, along with some independent candidates, too.
For Midsomer Norton North, independent Councillor Shaun Hughes was elected, alongside Lib Dem Michael Auton. 30.12% of residents in the area turned out to vote.
Midsomer Norton Redfield has chosen Conservative Councillors Tim Warren and Sarah Evans, with 26.54% voter turnout for the ward.
Radstock Councillors are Chris Dando and Lesley Mansell, both Labour Party candidates. 28.12% of residents eligible to vote turned out to cast their ballot in the area.
22.16% of Westfield residents voted in the elections. They chose to re-elect Labour Councillors Eleanor Jackson and Robin Moss.
Independent Councillors Karen Walker and Gavin Heathcote have been elected in Peasedown, with 29.44% of residents casting their votes.
To find out more about the election, why it took place and a detailed breakdown of the elected B&NES Council candidates, click here.
Residents were also asked to vote for their Town/Parish Councillors in the ballot on Thursday, 4th May.
At the time of printing, results for these elections were still pending. We will update you with the results of these elections next week.