Labour holds onto Cambridge City Council
But it saw its majority narrow in some wards to the Conservatives
Labour has held on to Cambridge City Council winning most of the seats – but saw its majority narrow in some wards to the Conservatives.
The votes for this year’s local elections at the city council were counted up today (Friday, May 5) after people across the city headed to the polls yesterday.
This year there were 14 of the city council’s 42 seats up for election, as well as two by-elections in the Castle and Coleridge wards.
The overall turnout for the city council election was 39.3 per cent, with many wards seeing a turnout of more than 40 per cent.
Labour comfortably won many of their seats, but there were some close calls as the Conservatives came within 100 votes of Labour in Cherry Hinton, and with the Green Party gaining the Newnham seat early in the results announcements. However, Labour maintained control and loudly celebrated each of the group’s wins.
The Liberal Democrats remain the largest oppostition group on the council. The group cam close to winning in West Chesterton winning over 1,000 votes, but remained 300 votes behind the Labour candidate.
The Green Party held on to the Abbey seat with Elliot Tong taking over from former councillor Hannah Copley, and the party gained a new seat in Newnham, with Jean Glasberg winning the seat.
Leader of the group, Councillor Naomi Bennett said the campaign had been “really lovely” and said: “We work hard to get seats when we get them, we work hard to keep them.”
The Conservatives did not win any seats, but came close in Cherry Hinton, under 100 votes behind the winning Labour candidate.
Zachary Marsh, who stood for the Conservatives in Cherry Hinton, said he felt the party had achieved its aim of sending a message to the other parties about the congestion charge, even without winning the seats.
He said: “The key thing in the campaign was engaging with voters listening to their anxiety about the congestion charge.
“People who do not normally vote Conservative are backing us this time to send a message to the people in charge that they feel ignored and want to have their say and want this policy gone. I am delighted to give people that choice in this election.”