Liberal Democrats win Somerset Council by-election to restore original majority

The Liberal Democrats have won a crucial by-election to restore their original majority of Somerset Council. The Lib Dems have controlled Somerset's unitary authority since winning 61 out of 110 seats in the local elections in May 2022.

A by-election was called in late-March after Mendip South councillor Alex Wiltshire announced he was standing down to "commencing a new position overseas". The party saw off a challenge from the Conservatives to retain the seat on Thursday (May 2), restoring its original majority on the council with three years until the next round of local elections in Somerset.

The Mendip South division is a predominantly rural division in the former Mendip area, being bordered by the large village of Street and the market towns of Bruton, Castle Cary, Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet. The division - which includes the Glastonbury Festival site - was one of a number of traditionally Conservative areas which swung to the Lib Dems in 2022.

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The full result of the by-election is as follows:

• Rob Reed (Lib Dem): 1,313 - ELECTED

• Ken Maddock (Conservative): 1,122

• Michael Smyth (Green): 200

• David Oakensen (Labour): 139

The turnout in the by-election was 36.07 per cent, with 14 ballot papers being rejected. Councillor Claire Sully (the other Mendip South division member) took to social media after the result to congratulate her new colleague.

Ms Sully - who is standing for the Lib Dems in the new Bridgwater constituency at the upcoming general election - said: "The Lib Dems are the main alternative to the Conservatives in the west. Rob Reed's win in Mendip South says that is Somerset, the groundswell of support for the Lib Dems is continuing.

"We form the majority group on Somerset Council, in contrast to Labour, who have just five seats out of the 110 on the authority. We speak for the people in the county who have had enough of 14 years of Conservative failure and incompetence."

The results mean the Lib Dems return to having 61 seats out of 110, having dropped to 59 due to the by-election and Taunton South councillor Hazel Prior-Sankey leaving the group to sit as an independent.

The Conservatives have 34 seats, with the Green Party and Labour both holding five seats and the remaining five being held by independent or non-aligned councillors.