Elections 2024: Labour misses out on North Herts Council majority by just one seat

Labour has failed to secure a majority in North Herts by just one seat, but the party strengthened its lead at the authority which covers Hitchin, Letchworth and Royston. Before the 2019 local elections five years ago, the Conservatives had an overall majority in North Herts with 28 seats.

But after polling on Thursday, May 2, the party has been left with just seven councillors out of a possible 51, down from 15 before the vote. Labour won 25 seats, one shy of the 26-seat threshold for a majority, up from 19.

The party ran the council as part of a joint administration with the Liberal Democrats, who had 15 seats but now have 19. After a boundary review which kicked in in 2024, the total number of seats in North Herts rose by two - to a total of 51.

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Labour’s Alistair Strathern was in the counting hall at North Herts Leisure Centre, Letchworth. The Mid Bedfordshire MP has plans to run against Conservative Treasury minister Bim Afolami in Hitchin at the next general election.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “It’s a great result for Labour and it’s a great result for North Herts.” Mr Strathern said Hitchin’s general election result, decided by voters in the Hertfordshire town and the Arlesey and Shefford areas of Bedfordshire, “is going to be close”.

He added: “[Councillors] have set out some really ambitious goals around delivering better housing for local residents, better opportunities for people, championing our high streets, and trying to drive forward that green agenda across the district.”

Labour councillor in Hitchin Walsworth Elizabeth Dennis, council leader, said: “Today’s results are a real testament to the changes that we’ve made within our Labour Party locally, but also the changes that Keir Starmer has brought to the national Labour Party.” She added: “We are going to need to make sure we have conversations and maintain positive relationships with other councillors in North Hertfordshire in order to deliver the best for our community.”

Ralph Muncer was one of two Conservative candidates to take the Codicote and Kimpton ward. He said: “We have got to look at what went well on our campaign and what didn’t go so well.

“We will be holding Labour and the Liberal Democrats to account over the next four years. In 2025, residents are going to have their black bin waste collected every three weeks. We have got to hold them to account for the consequences of that.”

North Herts and East Herts councils could introduce a “3,3,3” collection rota, which would mean residents will need to separate their dry recycling and black bag waste, and each stream would be collected every three weeks. The authority has plans to begin soft plastics recycling, which it has trialled in Knebworth, ahead of a Westminster government target to launch flexible plastics recycling throughout England by 2027.

“The Churchgate project in Hitchin and how the council is going to fund regeneration, we haven’t seen any final plan yet,” Mr Muncer said. North Herts Council acquired the lease to the Hitchin shopping centre in 2022 and has said it intends to complete a regeneration project at the centre.

“This is something we have got to look at,” Mr Muncer added. “We have lost hardworking representatives and we have got to make sure we speak to residents on the doorsteps and make the case for the Conservatives locally. We have positive personal relationships with voters, but of course, we have to look at some of the national policy issues of the moment.”

Ruth Brown, the council’s deputy leader, was re-elected in Royston Heath ward. The Liberal Democrat councillor said her party's joint administration had “achieved some good things together”.

Ms Brown said: “We feel if we had an overall majority, we would achieve more particularly in the areas of climate change action, but we have achieved a lot together, and I’ve actually enjoyed working collaboratively with Elizabeth and her group. We are certainly looking to win seats in the general election, particularly in the ‘Blue Wall’. This is good progress for us because we have made some gains.”

The next North Herts Council election is due in 2028. The 2024 results are in:

Arbury

Nikki Da Costa (Con) - 380

Anne Fletcher (G) - 52

Liz Oliver (Lab) - 78

Tom Tyson (LD) - 539 ELECTED

Turnout: 46.94 per cent.

Baldock East

Rhona Cameron (Lab) - 418 ELECTED

Juan Cowell (Con) - 323

Lee Perrott (Con) - 366

Steve Thomas (LD) - 289

Phil Weeder (LD) - 281

Stewart Willoughby (Lab) - 407 ELECTED

Turnout: 47.5 per cent.

Baldock West

Jim Barber (LD) - 176

Paul Barber (LD) - 138

Pippa Clayton (Rfm) - 177

Michael Muir (Con) - 847 ELECTED

Emma Rowe (Lab) - 960 ELECTED

Richard Salt (Con) - 654

David Sims (LD) - 231

James Toone (Lab) - 801

Kruna Vukmirovic (G) - 276

Alistair Willoughby (Lab) - 1,002 ELECTED

Andrew Young (Con) - 628

Turnout: 38.87 per cent.

Cadwell

Charles Laing (Con) - 342

Roger Nisbet (G) - 39

Louise Peace (LD) - 360 ELECTED

Alan Trangmar (Lab) - 121

Turnout: 43.2 per cent.

Codicote and Kimpton

Davina Anderson (Lab) - 382

Amy Finch (LD) - 366

Mark Lenthall (Lab) - 336

Ralph Muncer (Con) - 731 ELECTED

Marilyn Parkin (LD) - 279

Steven Patmore (Con) - 588 ELECTED

Turnout: 37.94 per cent.

Ermine

Thomas Lingard (Lab) - 80

Hugh Parker (G) - 80

Martin Prescott (Con) - 384 ELECTED

Hugo Rainey (LD) - 310

Turnout: 39.71 per cent.

Graveley, St Ippolyts and Wymondley

Michael Goddard (Con) - 263

Dominic Griffiths (LD) - 357 ELECTED

Caroline McDonnell (LD) - 361 ELECTED

Ian Moody (Con) - 232

Emma Newport (G) - 89

Indie Sunner (Lab) - 129

Gordon White (Lab) - 111

Turnout: 39.07 per cent.

Great Ashby

Hayley Collins (LD) - 485

Michael Hewitt (Con) - 264

Sal Jarvis (LD) - 441

Segun Laniyan (Con) - 276

Vijaiya ‘VJ’ Poopalasingham (Lab) - 546 ELECTED

Laura Williams (Lab) - 520 ELECTED

Turnout: 33.92 per cent.

Hitchin Bearton

Bob Adams (CPA) - 58

Randy Akubue (CPA) - 38

Ian Albert (Lab) - 1,484 ELECTED

Val Bryant (Lab) - 1,451 ELECTED

Charles Bunker (Rfm) - 114

Joanne Collins (LD) - 363

Bukky Cordle (CPA) - 34

Deolinda Eltringham (G) - 510

Sarah Jane Free (Con) - 362

Faye Frost (Con) - 326

Ayan Halder (LD) - 285

Tim Lee (G) - 389

Mary Marshall (G) - 502

Susana Muñoz Maniega (LD) - 367

Mark Scott (Con) - 321

Dave Winstanley (Lab) - 1,383 ELECTED

Turnout: 41.88 per cent.

Hitchin Highbury

Jon Clayden (LD) - 919 ELECTED

Sam Collins (LD) - 1,074 ELECTED

Will Dunlop (Con) - 431

Angela Griggs (Lab) - 544

Tom Hogan (Lab) - 456

David Leal-Bennett (Rfm) - 126

Gulshan Mangat (Con) - 374

Julie Rackham (G) - 163

Leigh Smith (CPA) - 47

Turnout: 46.43 per cent.

Hitchin Oughton

Daisy Appoh (CPA) - 56

Clare Billing (Lab) - 846 ELECTED

Matthew Ellinger (Con) - 263

Gary Hammond (LD) - 211

Hollison James (CPA) - 53

Michael Leach (Con) - 220

Nigel Mason (Lab) - 787 ELECTED

Anne Senechal (LD) - 212

Turnout: 34.67 per cent.

Hitchin Priory

Bella Callow-Robinson (Lab) - 483

Sue Dearden (Lab) - 538

Laura Douglas-Hamilton -(Con) - 543

Keith Hoskins (LD) - 974 ELECTED

Chris Lucas (LD) - 820 ELECTED

Roger Piepenstock (Con) - 454

Grace Woodward (G) - 202

Turnout: 46.76 per cent.

Hitchin Walsworth

Sid Cordle (CPA) - 91

Elizabeth Dennis (Lab) - 1,256 ELECTED

Victoria Dunlop (Con) - 512

Andrew Ircha (LD) - 458

Anthony John-Goodman (Con) - 456

Roger King (LD) - 387

William Lavin (G) - 576

Gary Morley (Con) - 443

Liz Townsend (LD) - 511

Donna Wright (Lab) - 1,188 ELECTED

Daniel Wright-Mason (Lab) - 1,132 ELECTED

Turnout: 40.08 per cent.

Hitchwood

Frank Carr (Lab) - 204

Joe Graziano (Con) - 472 ELECTED

Carol Stanier (LD) - 190

Turnout: 37.27 per cent.

Knebworth

Paul Balbi (Lab) - 176

Jamie Crofts (Con) - 595

Jan Gosling (Lab) - 224

Davina Malcolm (G) - 170

Mohammad Miah (Con) - 580

Lisa Nash (LD) - 997 ELECTED

Paul Ward (LD) - 664 ELECTED

Turnout: 44.49 per cent.

Letchworth Grange

Steve Adelantado (Rfm) - 154

Cory Bloxham (Con) - 277

Harrison Edwards (Con) - 211

Emma Fernandes (Lab) - 637 ELECTED

Elizabeth Freeman (LD) - 126

Ian Mantle (Lab) - 614 ELECTED

Samick Sofat (LD) - 73

Andrew Wallis (G) - 160

Mark Webb (CPA) - 33

Turnout: 30.16 per cent.

Letchworth Norton

Daniel Allen (Lab) - 794 ELECTED

Tina Bhartwas (Lab) - 665 ELECTED

Simon Bloxham (Con) - 521

Morgan Derbyshire (Con) - 452

David Morris (G) - 266

Roy Thompson (LD) - 187

Sharon Weeder (LD) - 158

Turnout: 41.03 per cent.

Letchworth South East

Hammad Baig (Con) - 504

Sadie Billing (Lab) - 1,067 ELECTED

Mick Debenham (Lab) - 937 ELECTED

James Durston (Con) - 532

Maryla Hart (G) - 370

David Levett (Con) - 583

Heather Macmillan (LD) - 283

Paul Marment (LD) - 317

Barry Neale (LD) - 172

Tamsin Thomas (Lab) - 995 ELECTED

Turnout: 33.13 per cent.

Letchworth South West

Edward Birdsall (Rfm) - 203

Stephen Boakes (Con) - 780

David Chalmers (LD) - 1,197 ELECTED

Andrew Clare (Con) - 765

Tom Coates (Rfm) - 205

Terry Hone (Con) - 859

Rebecca Kirk (Lab) - 456

Dugald Muir (G) - 298

Sean Prendergast (LD) - 1,301 ELECTED

Martin Stears-Handscomb (Lab) - 449

Garry Warren (Rfm) - 236

Jeryl Willoughby (Lab) - 331

Claire Winchester (LD) - 1,244 ELECTED

Turnout: 44.99 per cent.

Letchworth Wilbury

Amy Allen (Lab) - 739 ELECTED

Monica Bloxham (Con) - 267

David May (LD) - 150

Sean Nolan (Lab) - 688 ELECTED

Janine Paterson (Con) - 185

Louise Phillips (LD) - 150

Turnout: 31.42 per cent.

Offa

David Barnard (Con) -558 ELECTED

Stewart Bryant (Lab) - 245

Nicky Clark (G) - 136

Bridget Duffy (Lab) - 200

Neil Stevenson (LD) - 325

Claire Strong (Con) - 470 ELECTED

Natali Topliff (LD) - 323

Turnout: 42.28 per cent.

Royston Heath

Ruth Brown (LD) - 791 ELECTED

Shirley Clark (Lab) - 213

Mark Crowley (Con) - 306

Ken Garland (Lab) - 178

Martin Lewis (Con) - 326

Bryony May (LD) - 690 ELECTED

Des Stephens (G) - 117

Turnout: 37.49 per cent.

Royston Meridian

Matt Barnes (LD) - 958 ELECTED

Callum Bartram-Bell (Con) - 608

Suzy Brandes (Con) - 616

Ruth Clifton (LD) - 796 ELECTED

Tim Johnson (LD) - 827 ELECTED

Stephen Lockett (Lab) - 358

Sarah Lucas (Lab) - 396

Roman Mamatov (Con) - 508

Francis Sedgemore (G) - 215

Vaughan West (Lab) - 395

Turnout: 38.96 per cent.

Royston Palace

Lisa Adams (Ind.) - 195

Catherine Brownjohn (Lab) - 581 ELECTED

Paul Fletcher (Con) - 337

Jean Green (Con) - 376

Chris Hinchliff (Lab) - 546 ELECTED

Gill Lewis (LD) - 334

Emma Squire-Smith (LD) - 362

Turnout: 34.7 per cent.

Weston and Sandon

Steve Jarvis (LD) - 540 ELECTED

Martin Kristensen (Con) - 85

Rhys Lancaster (Lab) - 37

Elizabeth Ryder Ford (G) - 28

Turnout: 42.86 per cent.

Overall turnout: 39.52 per cent.

This is up from 31.6 per cent in 2023.