Labour win crushing majority at Redditch Borough Council Elections
The Conservatives had been in power of the patch since 2018
Last updated 3rd May 2024
Labour have won a majority at the Redditch Borough Council elections.
The party took 21 out of the full 27 seats that were available, with the Conservatives only managing five, while there was also celebrations for the Greens who landed their first seat.
Changes to some wards meant the 29 seats that used to be available had now become 27, with 10 wards turning into nine, and three councillors being elected for each one.
Since 2018, the patch had been in control of the Conservatives, who held a narrow majority coming into the voting.
Leader for Labour Joe Baker says he was shocked by the size of the victory.
He said: "I'm just overwhelmed by the majority we've taken the council by to be honest.
"I didn't think it would be such a landslide in our favour, but that's down to the hard work that we've put in.
"My first priority now is to make sure this council has stability so that we can start moving forward."
Greenlands and Lakeside were the first ward to declare results, with Labour taking all three places.
They were then followed by Central and Matchborough and Woodrow which also saw Labour take all seats available.
The Conservatives managed to claim all three councillors for the Astwood Bank and Feckenham ward, but they soon faced defeat, picking up only another two councillors.
Conservative leader Matt Dormer held onto his seat in the Webheath and Callow Hill ward, but says it was a difficult count for councillors in his party.
"It's disappointing, we've lost a lot of good councillors, and that's through no fault of them that's just the state of politics at the moment, people are wanting change," he said.
"We walked away with five seats, but I think we always knew this was a possibility so it was almost damage limitation, and we have to go away and start building again now."
Green candidate Claire Davies landed a first seat for her party in the same ward as Dormer, and said it 'felt like a dream' when she heard she had been elected.
The average turnout across the wards was 29.45%.