Yahoo News Exeter City Council elections sees Labour hold power but anti-LTN campaigner wins in Heavitree
It was a night where Labour retained control of Exeter City Council. But in Heavitree, Independent Lucy Haigh, who campaigned against the LTN in the city, claimed a victory.
Labour started the night on 23 seats, but won eight of the 13 seats up for grabs. The party have 24 seats, and with no elections in 2025, will be in control for a further two years.
Leader of council, Cllr Phil Bialyk, retained his Exwick seat. The Conservatives held St Loye’s, which was their only victory of the night.
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Labour made gains in Topsham from the Conservatives, as well as St Thomas from Independent Rob Hannaford. But they lost Newton and St Leonards to the Green Party, Duryard and St James to the Liberal Democrats, and Heavitree to Cllr Haigh, who campaigned across the controversial LTN in the city, while fellow anti-LTN campaigner Independent Clive Hutchings nearly won the Mincinglake and Whipton seat, but lost by 67 votes to the Labour candidate
She had said: "I believe the recent traffic changes in the Heavtree area are a significant and serious example of public decision-making gone badly wrong, and are indicative of so many other areas of the city councils’ functions that need urgent review and reform.
"Voting independent will let some much-needed fresh air and daylight into the councils’ musty corridors of power. I encourage voters in Exeter to actively choose to make positive change."
It means that Exeter City Council now consists of 24 Labour councillors, seven Green Party, four Liberal Democrats, three Conservatives, and one Independent councillor.
