There were 3 principal council by-elections this week. It was great to see a Lib Dem candidate standing in all of them. We also had an excellent gain to celebrate in Somerset which is where we start.

Congratulations to Cllr Kevin Messenger who gained Castle Cary ward on Somerset Council from the Conservatives – with over 50% of the vote, a very healthy majority of over 600 and a 10.4% increase in vote share!

Well done to Kevin and everyone in Somerset and thank you for keeping the Lib Dem momentum going. That’s 4 by-election gains in the space of a week now!

Somerset Council, Castle Cary ward
Liberal Democrats (Kevin Messenger): 1,247 (54.8%, +10.4%)
Conservative: 614 (27%, -15.7%)
Green Party: 415 (18.2%, +5.3%)

In Havering London Borough Council, Thomas Clarke flew the flag for the Lib Dems in the Upminster ward by-election. Thank you to Thomas for ensuring there was a Lib Dem for people to vote for. The ward was held by the Upminster & Cranham Residents Association.

Havering LBC, Upminster ward
Residents Association: 1,642 (63.2%, +0.1%)
Conservatives: 421 (16.2%, -3.7%)
Labour: 234 9%, -0.5%)
Independent: 150 (5.8%, +5.8%)
Green Party: 115 (4.4%, -3.1%)
Liberal Democrats (Thomas Clarke): 35 (1.4%, +1.4%)

Also on Wychavon BC we would like to say thank you to David Quayle for standing and making sure the Lib Dems were represented in Evesham South ward. The ward was held by the Green Party.

Wychavon DC, Evesham South
Green Party: 319 [45.2%, -9.5%]
Conservative: 177 [25.1%, -3.9%]
Independent: 82 [11.6%, +11.6%]
Labour: 79 [11.2%, +11.2%]
Independent: 36 [5.1%, +5.1%]
Liberal Democrats (David Quayle): 12 [1.7%, +1.7%]

Thank you once again to all the candidates who stood for us this week. Win or lose it is essential there is a Lib Dem on every ballot paper. There will be residents in every ward who want to vote for us and we owe it to them to stand.

A full summary of all results can be found on the ALDC by-elections page here.

* Charles Quinn is Campaigns Organiser for ALDC and a local councillor in Hull.