Labour retain control in Exeter

By Ollie Heptinstall, local democracy reporter.

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.

FULL RESULTS

ALPHINGTON

  • Yvonne Atkinson (Labour): 1,187 – HOLD
  • John Bowman (Green): 306
  • Jamie Horner (Liberal Democrat): 150
  • Katherine New (Conservatives): 653

DURYARD AND ST JAMES

  • David Blagden (Labour): 791
  • Simon Egan (Green): 278
  • Harry Johnson-Hill (Conservatives): 213
  • Michael Mitchell (Liberal Democrat): 938 – HOLD

EXWICK

  • Joanne Giencke (Liberal Democrats): 117
  • Kayleigh Luscombe (Conservatives): 333
  • Susannah Patrick (Labour): 1,145 – HOLD
  • Frankie Rufolo (Independent): 263
  • Mark Shorto (Green): 268

HEAVITREE

  • Carol Bennett (Green): 1,308 – HOLD
  • Alfie Carlisle (Conservatives): 278
  • Lucy Haigh (Independent): 301
  • Gemma Rolstone (Labour): 1,020
  • Rod Ruffle (Liberal Democrat): 100

MINCINGLAKE AND WHIPTON

  • David Luscombe (Conservatives): 352
  • Mike Payne (Liberal Democrat): 184
  • Alex Stephan (Green): 198
  • Ruth Williams (Labour): 1,191 – HOLD

NEWTOWN AND ST LEONARD’S

  • Julian Gallie (Conservaties): 213
  • Andy Ketchin (Green): 1,373 – GAIN FROM IND
  • Vanessa Newcombe (Liberal Democrat): 104
  • Carol Whitton (Labour): 1,035

PENNSYLVANIA

  • Will Aczel (Liberal Democrats): 199
  • Robert Sheridan (Conservatives): 423
  • Martyn Snow (Labour): 1,194 – HOLD
  • Lizzie Woodman (Green): 882

PINHOE

  • Rory Jack Clark (Liberal Democrat): 183
  • Ann Barbara Keen (Green): 227
  • Cynthia Thompson (Conservatives): 778
  • Mollie Miller (Labour): 1,251 – HOLD

PRIORY

  • Jane Begley (Labour): 1,062 – HOLD
  • Ben Hawkes (Conservatives): 469
  • Joel Stobart (Green): 278
  • Philip Thomas (Liberal Democrat): 237

ST DAVID’S

  • George Baker (Conservatives): 230
  • Diana Moore (Green): 1,322 – HOLD
  • Andrew Soper (Liberal Democrats): 85
  • Ellen Miriam Stuart (Labour): 752

ST LOYE’S

  • Jake Bonetta (Labour): 980
  • Phil Brock (Liberal Democrat): 164
  • Alison Sheridan (Conservatives): 1,127 – HOLD
  • Jack Vickers (Green): 189

ST THOMAS

  • Ashley Carr (Conservatives): 167
  • Deborah Darling (Labour): 1,109
  • Adrian Fullam (Liberal Democrats): 1,217 – GAIN FROM LAB
  • Natasha Jane Hannaford (Reform UK): 57
  • Johanna Korndorfer (Green): 210

TOPSHAM

  • Christine Campion (Liberal Democrat): 230
  • Jonathan Mills (Green): 259
  • Rob Newby (Conservatives): 1,098
  • Matthew Williams (Labour): 1,394 – GAIN FROM CON

Total turnout: 36 per cent

 

 

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