Local Elex: Labour retains Cambridge City Council
It's after people across the city went to the polls yesterday
Labour remains in control of Cambridge City Council after this year’s local elections. There were cheers from the candidates and their supporters at today’s count, with every announcement of a seat being won. This year there were 14 of the city council’s 42 seats up for election.
The turnout at the city council elections was 37.8 per cent, with the highest individual ward turn out in West Chesterton where 48.3 per cent of eligible voters headed to the polls. The lowest individual turnout in the city was in Abbey ward where 32 per cent of those eligible cast their vote.
The Liberal Democrats faced the only loss of the day, losing the Newnham ward to the Green Party. The Green Party candidate Hugh Clough won the seat with 925 votes.
Before voters headed to the polls this week, Labour was the largest party with 25 councillors, followed by the Liberal Democrats with 11 councillors. The Green Party had four councillors ahead of the election and there was one Conservative councillor and one independent councillor.
Following the election results Labour has 25 councillors, the Liberal Democrats have 10 councillors, the Green Party have five councillors, the Conservatives continue to have one councillors and there remains one independent councillor.
The council has been under Labour majority control since 2014 - the party had 16 more seat than the next largest party, the Liberal Democrats, before these elections.
The City Council is responsible for providing a number of services including waste collection, running leisure facilities, providing council housing, and making planning decisions.