The Farnley & Wortley by-election was won by the Green Party’s David Blackburn.
The Green Party candidate regained the seat he lost to Labour in May’s local election, after receiving 1,450 votes, ahead of Labour’s Al Garthwaite on 965.
Ms Garthwaite, who had been Leeds Lord Mayor earlier this year, had been a councillor in Headingley until she lost her seat to the Greens in May’s elections.
Reform’s David Dresser was 53 votes behind Labour on 912 votes.
Results in full
- Allison, Peter – Independent: 70 (Candidate was earlier disqualified).
- Andrews, Peter – Liberal Democrats: 118
- Blackburn, David – Green: 1,450
- Dresser, David – Reform: 912
- Garthwaite, Al – Labour: 965
- Riley, Richard – Social Democratic Party: 26
- Suryawanshi, Lalit – Conservative: 202
Turnout was 20.15%. More details on the result can be found here.
The by-election was held following the resignation of Labour’s Mark Sewards, who was elected MP for Leeds South West in July.
The seat was last contested in May, when Labour’s Kate Haigh beat Green Party incumbent David Blackburn with a 505 majority in a 27% turnout. Mr Blackburn had been a councillor for 26 years up to that point.
Overall political composition of the council (99 seats in total):
- Labour: 60 seats
- Conservative: 15 seats
- Green: 6 seats
- Liberal Democrats: 6 seats
- Morley Borough Independents: 4 seats
- Garforth and Swillington Independents Party: 3 seats
- Social Democratic Party: 3 seats
- Independents: 2 seats
A great shame – back to having a failed candidate. The Labour Party should have fielded a local person.