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Yesterday saw three principal council by-elections being held, one each in England, Scotland and Wales.

In Perth & Kinross (UA), the Conservatives made a gain in Almond & Earn ward from an Independent. The Tories received 48.1% of the first preference votes as they eventually won the seat after the third round of voting. Liberal Democrat candidate George Hayton polled 4.2% of the first preferences in finishing in fourth place.

However, the Conservatives did continue their recent run of by-election losses, losing a seat in Pocklington Provincial ward in the East Riding of Yorkshire (UA) to an Independent. The Independent candidate polled 38% to win the seat with a 52 vote majority. No Liberal Democrat candidate was fielded.

Elsewhere, Labour made a comfortable hold in Ynysddu ward in Caerphilly (UA), winning with 58.9% of the vote. Matthew Kidner received 4.2% of the vote for the Lib Dems, with the party not having stood in the ward in the 2012 or 2008 elections.

Another fairly quiet week on the by-election front saw just three principal by-elections – two in Allerdale in Cumbria and one in Kettering in Northamptonshire.

Allerdale on the west Cumbrian coast sadly saw no Liberal Democrat candidates in either of the two vacancies, all the more disappointing given we achieved 21% of the vote in the Dalton ward when it was fought last year. Dalton saw an Independent candidate take the ward from the Conservatives, who dropped to third and continue their poor run of council by-election results this year (they are now on -6 seats so far this year and with a 63% defence rate, although they have contested every seat). What was interesting in this result was that neither the winning party nor the runners-up (Labour) fought this ward last time. If you’re thinking this makes Allerdale sound like a council area in need of a severe injection of some democracy, then you are probably right, given the other vacancy in the Moss Bay ward in the town of Workington saw a competition between Labour and UKIP when last time all three Labour councillors were returned unopposed. Labour comfortably held on to the seat and leaves them on +1 in by-elections so far this year and with a 100% record of defending their seats (we are on +2 with an 86% defence rate).

Well done to Mel Gosliga, Chris Nelson and the team in Kettering in Northamptonshire who stood a candidate in the St. Peter’s ward within Kettering town itself. Despite garnering just 28 votes it puts the party on the map in the town, gave those 28 Lib Dem voters a chance to express their genuine political beliefs, and gives us a baseline to work from that we wouldn’t know without putting up a candidate. There is absolutely no reason why we couldn’t start to pick up councillors in Kettering, given the strength we have in towns not so dissimilar nearby such as the county town of Northampton and just down the railway line in Market Harborough. It just takes a keen team and some hardwork to make it happen, (although we appreciate the word ‘just’ does underestimate the hardwork somewhat). This by-election may be the start of that in Kettering.

There were two holds, one gain and one loss for Liberal Democrats in yesterday’s round of principal council by-elections. In Cambridgeshire (CC), the party made a gain from the Conservatives in Sutton division on the back of an impressive 18.5% swing from the Tories. Lorna Dupré polled 52.5%, a vote share increase of 19.7% from 2013, to take victory with a 412 vote majority.

Liberal Democrat candidates were also successful in contests in Flintshire (UA) and Lichfield (DC), as candidates Sara Parker and Paul Ray held seats for the party with 45.2% and 40% of the vote respectively.

There was less good news for the party in Chiltern (DC), as the Conservatives made a gain from us in Amersham Town ward. The Tories polled 50.2%, with Lib Dem candidate Richard Williams falling 135 votes short in second place.

Elsewhere, the Conservatives held a seat in Newmarket and Red Lodge division in Suffolk (CC), with Lib Dem Tim Huggan polling 4.8% in fourth place. The Tories also held seats in Toton & Chilwell Meadows and Greasley wards, whilst Roy Heal and Keith Longden polled 20.7% and 11.8% respectively for the Liberal Democrats. Also, Labour comfortably held one of their seats in Higher Blackley ward in Manchester (MB) with 65.3%. Lib Dem Peter Mathews polled 4.8% in fourth place, a vote share increase of 2.2% from last May.

Last week saw four principal council by-elections take place. In Eastleigh (BC), the Liberal Democrats held a seat in West End North ward with 53%. Janice Asman was elected with a 267 vote majority over the Conservatives, with the Lib Dem vote share increasing by 13.2% from the ward’s previous election last May.

In Hounslow (LB), there was a hold for Labour in Cranford with 54.7%, whilst Liberal Democrat Hina Malik polled 11.5% in third place, a vote share increase of 5.3% from two years ago. There were also comfortable holds for Labour in Coventry (MB) and Bolton (MB), with Lib Dems Christopher Glenn and Gary Veevers receiving 5.7% and 4.2% of the vote respectively.

Last Thursday saw four principal council by-elections take place. The Liberal Democrats in East Cambridgeshire (DC), came close to making a gain from the Conservatives in Bottisham ward. The party’s vote share increased by 9.8% from last May as candidate Steve Aronson fell just 17 votes short of the Tories.

In Northumberland (UA), no Lib Dem candidate was fielded in the by-election in Hexham West, where a non-description candidate made a gain from the Conservatives. The winning candidate had previously served as a Liberal Democrat councilor in the division.

The Tories also suffered a loss in Shropshire (UA), this time at the hands of the Greens, who secured a 14% swing from 2013 to make the gain. Liberal Democrat candidate Amanda Woof came fourth with 7.6% of the vote, a 1.8% increase from two years ago.

Just one principal council by-election took place yesterday. Labour comfortably held one of their two seats in Parkfield & Oxbridge ward in Stockton-on-Tees (UA). The Labour candidate won with 52.5% of the vote, whilst Liberal Democrat candidate Drew Durning came fourth with 5.7%, a 0.2% vote share increase from last May.

A Town Council by-election was also held this week, with Labour also being victorious in Walsden ward in Todmorden. They made a gain from the Conservatives, who didn’t field a candidate in the contest, with 55.7%. Lib Dem candidate Josef Rez came second with 32.6% of the vote, 109 votes adrift of Labour.

A total of nine principal council by-elections were held this month. The party recorded one hold in Cornwall (UA), whilst only one seat changed hands this month, with Labour making a gain from UKIP in Thanet (DC) last week. Liberal Democrat candidates were fielded in seven of the nine contests (77.8%), with the party polling an average of 18.7% were we stood.

The Liberal Democrats got off to a successful start to the year in local by-elections, as the party won the first principal council by-election of 2016 where the party has fielded a candidate. In last Thursday’s only contest, the Liberal Democrats in Cornwall (UA), comfortably won the election in Launceston Central ward. Despite a vote share decrease of 7.9% from 2013, Gemma Massey polled an impressive 63% of the vote to win ahead of the Conservatives with a 289 vote majority.

In addition, the party also won in Central ward on Launceston Town Council.  Paula Bullen and Kirk Denton collectively polled over 70% of the vote to win the two of three vacant seats.

Six principal council by-elections were contested on Thursday, with one gain and one loss for the Liberal Democrats.

The party made an impressive gain from the Conservatives on Wealden district council last night. David White polled 69.9% of the vote to clinch victory with a 653 majority. The party also recorded a 32.7% swing from the Tories. David becomes the sole Lib Dem representative on the Conservative dominated council, having lost his seat this May.

In Brentwood (BC), there was less good news for the Liberal Democrats as the Conservatives made a gain in Shenfield ward with 57.4%, despite Alison Fulcher increasing the party’s vote share by 5.1% from  this May. Whilst we ran a good campaign once the election was called, we were competing with the Tories from a standing start. Early indications suggest that more work could have been done preparing the ward prior to the campaign eg. by recruiting Postal Voters etc given that this was a Lib Dem resignation.

Lib Dem candidates were fielded in all five principal council by-elections held last Thursday. The two contests in Aberdeen (UA) in Kincorth/Nigg/Cove and Hilton/Woodside/Stockethill wards, both caused by the resignation of the new MPs for Aberdeen North and South, resulted in two comfortable SNP holds. Lib Dem candidates Ken McLeod and Jonathan Waddell polled 6.5% and 4.1% of the first preference votes respectively, a slight decrease in the Lib Dem vote share from 2012 on both counts. The result of both by-elections was sealed after the first round, with the respective SNP candidates receiving over 50% of the first preference votes.

The Conservatives easily held their seat in Droitwich East ward in Wychavon (DC) with 52.2% of the vote, with Lib Dem Rory Roberson coming fourth with 11.4%. The Tories also picked up a gain from the Lincolnshire Independents in North Hykeham Mill ward in North Kesteven (DC). The victory brings the Conservative representation on the council up to twenty nine and reduces the Lincolnshire Independents, who are the official opposition to the Tories on the council, down to eight councillors.

Three sets of principal council by-elections were held this week. In Sutton (LB), the Lib Dems successfully held one of their three seats in Wallington South ward in Tom Brake’s Carshalton and Wallington constituency. In a closely fought contest, the party fended off the Conservative challenge by taking victory with 44.1%, alongside majority of 315 votes. LD candidate Steve Cook also recorded an increased vote share from 2014 of 6.9%.

Elsewhere, the Stepney Green council by-election in Tower Hamlets (LB) resulted in a Labour gain from Tower Hamlets First. The Labour candidate polled 42.1% to secure a narrow majority of 171 ahead of an independent candidate. Will Dyer won 4.7% of the vote for the Lib Dems, securing a vote share increase of 1.7% from the ward’s previous contest last year. The result brings Labour’s representation up to 23 councillors, meaning they now hold a majority on the 45 member council.