Local Elections 2018: Results
Results of the local elections were announced throughout the night, and more will continue to be revealed throughout today. So far, while Labour has continued its dominance in councils across the North West, there have been some key seats lost, including that of Liverpool City Council member for housing, Cllr Frank Hont.
RESULTS SO FAR – updated throughout the day
Greater Manchester
Nine of Greater Manchester’s 10 local authorities have announced their results. Labour held control in Wigan, Tameside, Stockport, Salford, Rochdale, Oldham, Bolton and Bury, while the sole Conservative council, Trafford, was tipped into no overall control after gains by Labour and two surprise Green wins. Read our reporter’s full run-down of activity at the Trafford count last night.
Update at 4.55pm: Manchester City Council seats have all now been announced, and after a wave of predictable Labour wins, the Liberal Democrats have managed to keep control of one seat, and also gain another, with Lib Dem stalwart and former MP John Leech re-elected, alongside Richard Kilpatrick.
Liverpool City Council
Labour, the party of Mayor Joe Anderson, lost three seats to Liberal Democrats but retained control.
One of the Labour councillors to lose out was Cllr Frank Hont, who held Liverpool City Council’s cabinet housing brief.
The Greens held their Liverpool seats in St Michaels and Greenbank.
Merseyside
Every seat stayed in the same control in Wirral, meaning the council remains Labour. In St Helens, Labour lost a seat at Rainhill to an independent, but held all other seats.
In Sefton, Labour’s dominance of the council grew with seats won in Southport from the Liberal Democrats, who also lost two seats to the Tories. Overall, Labour won 17 seats.
In Halton, a Cheshire authority but part of the Liverpool City Region, a third of the council was up for re-election, and all parties held their same seats, leaving Labour still in control of 52 of the council’s 56 seats.
Labour held control in Knowsley, but two councillors lost seats to Greens and Independents, apparently in locations both most affected by the proposed sell-off of parkland.
South Lakeland
The whole of South Lakeland Council is up for re-election. Liberal Democrats are currently the dominant party; results are due to be announced later today.
Cumbria
Carlisle City Council has remained in no overall control.
Cheshire East
Cheshire East Council holds its local elections for all councillors every four years, the next being in 2019. However, the departure of Conservative Michael Jones from the party at the end of last year triggered a by-election in Bunbury, which has been taken by another Tory, Chris Green.
Lancashire
Full elections for Lancashire County Council are held every four years, and occurred last year, so no changes there for now.
However, Blackburn, Burnley, Chorley, Hyndburn, Pendle, Preston, Rossendale and West Lancashire Councils all held elections.
In Chorley, Preston, and West Lancashire, Labour retained its control.
The Conservatives have taken control of Pendle Council, which was previously under no overall control but was led by Labour. The party won six wards to Labour’s seven, while the Liberal Democrats secured three.
