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2021 North Hertfordshire District Council election

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2021 North Hertfordshire District Council election
← 2019 6 May 2021 (2021-05-06) 2022 →

17 of 49 seats on North Hertfordshire District Council
25 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Con
Lab
LD
Leader David Levett Martin Stears-Handscomb Paul Clark
Party Conservative Labour Liberal Democrats
Seats before 22 16 11
Seats after 23 15 11
Seat change Increase1 Decrease1 Steady
Popular vote 14,518 9,402 6,978
Percentage 41.5% 26.9% 20.0%

Leader before election

Martin Stears-Handscomb
Labour
No overall control

Leader after election

Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg
Labour
No overall control

Map showing the results of the 2021 North Hertfordshire District Council election

The 2021 North Hertfordshire District Council election took place on 6 May 2021 to elect 17 of the 49 members of North Hertfordshire District Council in England.[1] This was on the same day as other local elections around the country. This election had originally been due to take place in May 2020, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The council remained under no overall control, with a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition continuing to run the council. Martin Stears-Handscomb, leader of the Labour group and leader of the council prior to the election, lost his seat at this election; he had chosen to contest Letchworth South East rather than the Hitchin Oughton seat he had previously held, which put him directly challenging the Conservative leader, David Levett, who retained the seat.[2] Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg was appointed new leader of the Labour group and leader of the council after the election, with the Liberal Democrat leader, Paul Clark, continuing to serve as deputy leader of the council.[3]

Overall results

[edit]

The overall results were as follows:[4]

2021 North Hertfordshire District Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 10 Increase 1 58.8 13 23 46.9 14,518 41.5 +5.5
  Labour 5 Decrease 1 29.4 10 15 30.6 9,402 26.9 +5.1
  Liberal Democrats 2 Steady 11.8 9 11 22.4 6,978 20.0 -8.4
  Green 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 3,730 10.7 +0.1
  Independent 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 167 0.5 New
  Reform UK 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 59 0.2 New
  CPA 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 53 0.2 New
  SDP 0 Steady 0.0 0 0 0.0 39 0.1 New

Ward results

[edit]

The results for each ward were as follows. Where the previous incumbent was standing for re-election they are marked with an asterisk(*). A double dagger(‡) indicates a sitting councillor contesting a different ward.[4]

Baldock East

[edit]
Baldock East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Juan Timothy Cowell 495 42.9 −3.0
Liberal Democrats Richard William Winter 302 26.2 −0.3
Labour Leo James Chapman 212 18.4 +6.6
Green Jane Louise Turner 133 11.5 +6.9
Majority 193 16.7
Turnout 1,154 49.4 +4.2
Conservative hold Swing -1.3

Changes from the 2016 election.

Baldock Town

[edit]
Baldock Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Michael Edwin Weeks* 1,120 48.0 −3.4
Labour Co-op Alistair Kieran Oliver Willoughby 734 31.4 +13.9
Liberal Democrats Steven Paul Thomas
(Steve Thomas)
242 10.4 −8.7
Green Timothy Peter Lee
(Tim Lee)
223 9.6 −1.4
Majority 386 16.5
Turnout 2,335 40.6 +8.6
Conservative hold Swing -8.7

Chesfield

[edit]
Chesfield
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Terence Clive Tyler*
(Terry Tyler)
728 42.3 +18.5
Conservative Dominic John Crean Griffiths 727 42.2 +0.3
Labour Thomas Patrick Luke Hogan
(Tom Hogan)
251 14.6 −1.4
Majority 1 0.1
Turnout 1,721 32.6 +5.2
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +9.1

The result was initially a tie, with Terry Tyler (Liberal Democrat) and Dominic Griffiths (Conservative) both receiving 727 votes; they drew straws for an extra tie-break vote.[5]

Hitchin Bearton

[edit]
Hitchin Bearton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Ian Clive Albert* 1,314 49.0 −4.7
Conservative Ralph Gerald Muncer 586 21.9 +6.6
Green Anni Elke Sander 383 14.3 +0.6
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Clayden 378 14.1 −2.2
Majority 728 27.2
Turnout 2,681 41.6 +7.2
Labour Co-op hold Swing -5.7

Hitchin Highbury

[edit]
Hitchin Highbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Paul Clark* 1,416 48.1 −14.1
Conservative Gulshan Deep Singh Mangat 820 27.9 +7.2
Labour Angela Jean Griggs 412 14.0 +4.6
Green Deolinda Maria Eltringham 242 8.2 +1.2
CPA Leigh Smith 33 1.1 New
Majority 596 20.3
Turnout 2,941 46.9 +5.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -10.6

Hitchin Oughton

[edit]
Hitchin Oughton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Nigel David Mason 501 38.6 −15.6
Conservative Steven Patmore 369 28.4 −0.2
Green Mary Karin Marshall 245 18.9 +11.3
Liberal Democrats Thomas James Grunshaw 101 7.8 −1.4
Independent Jacqueline Mary McDonald 65 5.0 New
Majority 132 10.2
Turnout 1,298 35.0 +3.7
Labour Co-op hold Swing -7.7

Changes from the 2018 election.

Hitchin Priory

[edit]
Hitchin Priory
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Arthur Charles Thake* 787 41.8 +0.9
Liberal Democrats Rajeni Bhakar
(Raj Bhakar)
548 29.1 −2.6
Labour Peter Malcolm Taylor 286 15.2 −3.9
Green Desmond Peter Stephens
(Des Stephens)
233 12.4 +4.7
CPA Sidney Clifford Cordle
(Sid Cordle)
20 1.1 New
Majority 239 12.7
Turnout 1,885 49.5 +4.0
Conservative hold Swing +1.8

Changes from the 2018 election.

Hitchin Walsworth

[edit]
Hitchin Walsworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Elizabeth Louise Dennis-Harburg* 1,154 41.2 −3.2
Conservative Charles Laing 1,042 37.2 +11.7
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Julie Townsend
(Liz Townsend)
301 10.7 −0.6
Green Samuel Rex Larsen
(Sam Larsen)
293 10.5 −7.1
Majority 112 4.0
Turnout 2,802 44.5 +7.4
Labour Co-op hold Swing -7.5

Hitchwood, Offa and Hoo

[edit]
Hitchwood, Offa and Hoo
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Claire Patricia Annette Strong* 1,436 52.2 −2.5
Green Adina Claire 787 28.6 +11.5
Labour Anton Jungreuthmayer 304 11.1 −1.3
Liberal Democrats Philippa Wright 214 7.8 −6.7
Majority 649 23.6
Turnout 2,751 46.4 +10.3
Conservative hold Swing -7.0

Knebworth

[edit]
Knebworth
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Amanda Benhilda Tandi
(Mandi Tandi)
1,235 56.5 +16.9
Liberal Democrats Susana Muñoz Maniega 629 28.8 −22.3
Labour Douglas Arthur Jenner
(Doug Jenner)
185 8.5 +0.9
Green Davina Ruth Malcolm 97 4.4 +2.9
Majority 606 27.7
Turnout 2,187 52.1 +5.1
Conservative hold Swing +19.6

Changes from the 2018 election.

Letchworth East

[edit]
Letchworth East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Ian Mantle* 711 44.2 −7.2
Conservative James Durston 467 29.0 +4.2
Green David Paul Morris 205 12.7 +8.0
Liberal Democrats Mark Robert Patrick Spencer 115 7.2 −0.5
Independent Paul Ross 102 6.3 −4.4
Majority 244 15.2
Turnout 1,608 35.9 +1.0
Labour Co-op hold Swing -5.7

Changes from the 2018 election.

Letchworth Grange

[edit]
Letchworth Grange
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon Nicholas Bloxham 1,059 47.7 +9.8
Labour Co-op Sean Nolan 733 33.0 +2.8
Green Elizabeth Susan Hancock 215 9.7 +0.5
Liberal Democrats Amy Elizabeth Finch 200 9.0 −1.0
Majority 326 14.7
Turnout 2,222 39.4 +5.0
Conservative gain from Labour Co-op Swing +3.5

Letchworth South East

[edit]
Letchworth South East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Charles Levett* 966 46.1 +3.5
Labour Co-op Martin John Stears-Handscomb ‡ 726 34.7 −8.6
Liberal Democrats Paul Anthony James Marment 175 8.4 New
Green Hazel Tracy Middleton 155 7.4 New
Reform UK Garry Edward Warren 59 2.8 New
Majority 240 11.5
Turnout 2,094 39.0 +0.1
Conservative hold Swing +6.1

Letchworth South West

[edit]
Letchworth South West
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Terence William Hone*
(Terry Hone)
1,276 45.8 +11.2
Liberal Democrats Phillip Christopher Weeder
(Phil Weeder)
724 26.0 −8.6
Labour Co-op Thomas Joseph Plater
(Tom Plater)
474 17.0 +4.9
Green Alan Edmund Borgars 245 8.8 +0.1
SDP Michael McGetrick 39 1.4 New
Majority 552 19.8
Turnout 2,787 46.0 +7.1
Conservative hold Swing +9.9

Letchworth Wilbury

[edit]
Letchworth Wilbury
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Co-op Amy Dawn Allen 771 53.1 −4.9
Conservative Monica Madeline Bloxham 536 36.9 +10.2
Liberal Democrats Sally Margaret Jarvis
(Sal Jarvis)
121 8.3 +3.3
Majority 235 16.2
Turnout 1,452 36.1 −1.6
Labour Co-op hold Swing -7.6

Changes from the 2018 election.

This Letchworth Wilbury seat had been previously held by Labour councillor Deepak Sangha, but had been vacant since his resignation in March 2020, but no by-election could be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

Royston Meridian

[edit]
Royston Meridian (by-election)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adam Compton 889 49.0 +1.7
Liberal Democrats Alexander William Prosser-Snelling
(Alex Prosser-Snelling)
579 31.9 +8.9
Labour John Ivor Rees 176 9.7 −0.2
Green Hugh David Parker 154 8.5 −1.0
Majority 310 17.1
Turnout 1,816 42.8 +6.9
Conservative hold Swing -3.6

The Royston Meridian by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Bill Davidson.

Royston Palace

[edit]
Royston Palace (by-election)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Sarah Anne Dingley 708 47.0 +9.2
Labour Co-op Catherine Jayne Brownjohn
(Cathy Brownjohn)
458 30.4 −2.7
Liberal Democrats Hugo John Rainey 205 13.6 −0.8
Green Steven Andrew Turner 120 8.0 −5.6
Majority 250 16.6
Turnout 1,507 34.3 +5.7
Conservative hold Swing +5.9

The Royston Palace by-election had been triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Ben Lewis, who had resigned in March 2020, but no by-election could be held until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

By-elections

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Hitchin Highbury

[edit]

The Hitchin Highbury by-election was triggered by the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Clark, who was his party's group leader and deputy leader of the council.[7] The Liberal Democrats retained the seat. Ruth Brown was appointed new leader of the Liberal Democrat group and deputy leader of the council following Paul Clark's death.[8]

Hitchin Highbury: 10 March 2022
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Raj Bhakar 1,238 67.0 +18.5
Conservative Samuel Forsyth 450 24.3 −3.7
Green Deolinda Eltringham 134 7.2 −1.0
CPA Leigh Smith 27 1.5 +0.3
Majority 788 42.7
Turnout 1,861 30.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +11.1

References

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  1. ^ "May 2021 Elections | North Hertfordshire District Council". www.north-herts.gov.uk.
  2. ^ Barrow, Georgia (9 May 2021). "Local Election 2021 results: NHDC leader loses seat". Royston Crow. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Council minutes, 26 May 2021". North Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  4. ^ a b "Election Results 2021". North Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  5. ^ Barrow, Georgia (10 May 2021). "Party leaders respond to election result in North Herts". The Comet. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b Thorburn, Jacob (1 April 2020). "Two NHDC councillors out following string of recent absences". The Comet. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
  7. ^ Barrow, Georgia (8 December 2021). "North Herts deputy council leader Paul Clark passes away from COVID-19". The Comet. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  8. ^ "Council minutes, 20 January 2022". North Hertfordshire District Council. Retrieved 13 March 2023.