This week has seen ten prinicipal council by-elections across the country – nine on Thursday and one on Tuesday night. Lib Dem candidates contested seven of the ten.

In the Tuesday night by-election in Plasnewydd (Cardiff) Lib Dem candidate Robin Rea had a spectacular win, gaining the ward from Labour with a 48.1% share of the vote (up +15.4% since the ward was last contested in 2012). Labour were pushed into second place on 34.8%, and Plaid Cymru, the Conservatives and the Greens all saw a drop in their vote share.  Congratulations to Cllr Rea and the team in Plasnewydd for an excellent result to round off our party conference!

Thursday night saw yet more Lib Dem gains. Alison Eden and the team in Teignmouth Central ward, Teignbridge BC almost doubled the Lib Dem vote share to gain the ward from the Conservatives. Alison and won the ward with an amazing 51.1% of the vote (+26.8% since 2015) and a majority of 205. Both the Conservatives and Labour both saw a drop in their vote share (of -3.7% and -8.1% respectively). Congratulations to Cllr Eden & the team for such an impressive result!

Another Lib Dem gain came in the form of Hadleigh ward, Suffolk County Council, where Trevor Sheldrick pushed the Tories into second place and won the ward with a 182 vote majority (36.2%; +12.0%).  A huge congratulations to Cllr Sheldrick and the team!

Elsewhere, Debbie Taylor increased the Lib Dem vote by +20% in the previously Conservative ward of Christchurch (Allerdale BC). Unfortunately Labour won the seat, but Debbie and the team have put the Lib Dems firmly on the map for next time!

In Chopwell & Rolands Gill, Gatsehead Amelia Ord also increased the Lib Dem vote (12.3%; +7.9%), but sadly came in third behind UKIP in the Labour held ward. Ian Thomas stood in Adderbury, Bloxham & Bodicote (Cherwell – a Conservative hold) coming in fourth with 10.7% of the vote.

New member Catherine  Nakielny stood in Cilycwm (Carmarthenshire) – a seat that last had a Liberal candidate in 1952. Catherine came in fifth with 8.2% of the vote in a very hotly contested ward.  Well done to Catherine for giving Cilycwm residents their first chance to vote Liberal Democrat in a local election!

Finally, Lib Dems also did a fantastic job in town council by-elections this week by gaining 4 seats across the country. Congratulations to Cllr Rebecca Hanson who gained Christchurch ward, Cockermouth TC from the Tories with 41.1% share of the vote.  Cllrs Julie Philips & Roy Philips gained a seat each on Teignmouth TC (Central ward), winning the seats from Conservatives. In Hailsham TC East ward Graham Moore won his seat from Labour (who did not stand), winning with a comfortable 59.6% of the vote.

For a detailed list of this week’s results please click here. If you would like more information on all the forthcoming by-elections and details on who to contact to help, click here.

A big thank you as always to those who come every week to 23 New Mount Street in Manchester to make calls at ALDC’s By-election HQ, funded through fighting fund donations. If you can help us fight in even more wards, please donate here.

* ALDC is the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors and Campaigners