Brentwood Council fails to keep full control after Conservatives lose three seats
The council is no longer controlled by a single party
Brentwood Borough Council is no longer controlled by a single party, after the Tories lost their majority in the local elections. The Lib Dems now have 17 seats after winning three seats from the Tories.
It means there are 17 Lib Dems, 17 Conservatives, one independent and two Labour councillors. Discussions will now focus over the weekend for a coalition to form an adminsitration.
The council was electing a third of its councillors, with the Lib Dems making strong gains despite not winning enough to take control of the council themselves.
Turnout was low across the board, at around 31.5 per cent. Local issues such as potholes, were suggested by candidates as the main reasons behind some of the swings between parties. Here is a full rundown of the results:
Brentwood North – Lib Dems hold
Eleanor Brown, Labour 204
Sat Lal, Conservative 286
Mark Lewis, Liberal Democrats 945
Adam Oliver, Green Party 87
Majority 659
Previous majority in 2022: 583
Turnout: 28.2%
Brentwood South Lab hold
Tim Barrett, Labour 796
Adam Chinnery, Conservative 370
Arthur Leathley, Liberal Democrats 261
Majority: 426
Previous majority in 2022: 378
Turnout: 30.1%
Brentwood West – Lib Dems hold
Steve Mayo, Liberal Democrats 929
Richard Millwood, Labour and Co-operative Party 245
Thomas Rayner, Conservative 339
Majority: 590
Previous majority in 2022: 593
Turnout: 26.7%
Brizes & Doddinghurst – Cons hold
Kevin Brailey, Labour 141
Florina Constanda, Liberal Democrats 259
Paul Jeater, Green Party 88
Cliff Poppy, Conservative 891
Majority: 632
Previous majority in 2022: 395
Turnout: 29.2%
Herongate, Ingrave & West Horndon – Cons hold
Anne Long, Liberal Democrats 167
Fiona Marsh, Conservative 595
Jane Winter, Labour 116
Majority: 428
Previous majority in 2022: 465
Turnout: 28.7%
Hutton East – Cons lose to Lib Dems
Susan Kortlandt, Labour and Co-operative Party 140
Jay Patel, Conservative 324
Benjamin Rigby, Liberal Democrats 448
Majority: 124
Previous majority in 2022: 122
Turnout: 30.9%
Hutton North – Cons hold
Laura Carey, Liberal Democrats 154
Paul Godfrey, Reform UK 64
Philip Holland, Labour 212
Jan Pound, Conservative 493
Majority: 339
Previous majority in 2021: 552
Turnout: 29.3%
Ingatestone, Fryerning & Mountnessing – Cons lose to Lib Dems
Hugh Gorton, Liberal Democrats 911
Noelle Hones, Conservative 745
Joanna Moncrieff, Labour 98
Majority 166
Previous majority in 2022: 354
Turnout 35.5%
Pilgrims Hatch – Lib Dems hold
Cameron Ball, Labour 114
Gordon Cowley, Conservative 214
Vicky Davies, Liberal Democrats 956
David Hale, Green Party 31
Majority: 742
Previous majority in 2022: 680
Turnout: 28.8%
Shenfield – Lib Dems hold
Thomas Gordon, Conservative 710
Elizabeth Jerrard, Labour 56
Anne Milward, Green Party 94
David Worsfold, Liberal Democrats 890
Majority: 180
Previous majority in 2022: 81