Labour retains control of Exeter City Council
A third of seats were being contested
Labour is still the dominant force on Exeter City Council but experienced a mixed night in the local elections.
For the second year running, it gained a second seat in the former Tory stronghold of Topsham, but lost a seat in St Thomas to former Lib Dem council leader Adrian Fullam.
Meanwhile, in the only other seat to change hands, the Greens won in Newtown and St Leonard’s, which had previously been occupied by an Independent who didn’t seek re-election.
Only a third of the 39-seat council was up for election – in line with the usual cycle.
Labour still holds 25 seats, the same as before the election, although its tally is one down on the 2022 election result due to one of its councillors then becoming an independent.
The Greens are up one to six councillors – now the largest outright opposition party on the council – but they are expected to continue working with the Liberal Democrats as part of the ‘Progressive Group’.
Meanwhile, it was another poor night in Exeter for the Conservatives, who now have just four councillors after losing another in Topsham. However, the party successfully fought off a strong Labour challenge to retain St Loye’s.
And after gaining a seat in St Thomas and defending their existing one in Duryard & St James, the Liberal Democrats now have three councillors.