2022 Hyndburn Borough Council election

A by-thirds Hyndburn Borough Council local election, was held on Thursday 5 May 2022. Approximately one third of the local council's 35 seats fell up for election on that day.[1]

2022 Hyndburn Borough Council election
5 May 2022
11 of 35 seats to Hyndburn Borough Council
18 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Paul Cox

(Interim)

 Marlene Haworth
Party Labour Conservative
Leader's seat Milnshaw St Oswald's
Seats before 19 12
Seats won 17 14
Seat change Decrease2 Increase2
2022 local election results in Hyndburn
  Labour
  Conservative
  Not contested

Background

Before the election Labour had a majority of 15 councillors, Conservatives had 12 councillors, with 6 Independent councillors and 2-vacant (following Chris Knight's (Lab-St. Oswalds) March-23rd announcement[2] that he has stood down as a councillor with immediate effect, despite not being up for re-election until May next year, in addition to the announcement[3] (March-24th) that Leader of Hyndburn Council, Miles Parkinson, resigned from the Labour Party and will now be an Independent councillor for Altham ward, until May-2023 and after Labour Councillor Eamonn Higgins announced[4] (March-31st) that he would be quitting Labour, to serve Huncoat as an Independent for the remainder of his term, until May-2023.

In this election, Labour will be defending 6-ward-seats with Conservatives defending 4-ward-seats. In 2018, Overton was won by Labour's Jennifer MOLINEUX, who later left the Party to become an Independent councillor, but she is standing down in this election. In 2019, St Oswald's was won by Labour's Chris KNIGHT, who recently stood down as a councillor leaving his vacant-seat open to a by-election. Former Labour candidate Shahed MAHMOOD also quit Labour last year and is standing for the Conservatives in Milnshaw ward.

Local Election result

After the election, the composition of the council's 35 seats was -

Party Leader Councillors Votes
Of total Whole Council Of total
Labour 6 50.0%
17 / 35
 6,427 45.86%
Conservative Party 6 50.0%
15 / 35
 5,997 42.79%
Independents 0 0.0%
3 / 35
 945 6.74%
Reform UK 0 0.0%
0 / 35
 512 3.65%

NB: Five (of the 16) Council wards, where seats were NOT up for re-election in 2022, included the following wards - Altham, Baxenden and Church, plus Barnfield and Central in Accrington

Previous Councillors who were Standing-Down in this election included - Bernadette Parkinson (Ind-Netherton), David Parkins (Lab-Huncoat), Diane Fielding (Lab-Spring Hill) and Jenny Molineux (Ind-Overton).

Additionally, following Chris Knight's (Lab-St. Oswalds) recent and sudden decision to stand-down from the seat he won in 2019, that seat will ALSO be up for a by-election this year - with the winner serving out the remaining 12-months, until THAT same seat comes up for re-election to a full-4-year term from 2023.

Retiring Netherton councillor Bernadette Parkinson announced[5][April-11th] that she has resigned from the Labour Party after 27 years, in the wake of her husband and council leader Cllr Miles Parkinson, who also quit the party. Another retiring councillor, Spring Hill's Diane Fielding announced[6][April-19th] that she has also resigned from the Labour Party. Former Overton Labour councillor Michael Hindley announced[7][April-20th] that he has resigned from the Labour Party, leaving that seat vacant, after being recently cautioned by the police over an assault during a previous council meeting. This leaves the Hyndburn Labour Party with only 15-sitting councillors (less than the 18 needed for Overall Control), ahead of the upcoming May-election.

In the months following this election, veteran Labour politician Joyce Plummer, who took a post in Hyndburn Borough Council’s new cabinet, was suspended from the party group[8][June-29th] and faces further disciplinary action by the party which could lead to her expulsion, ahead of the Overton by-election, called for Thursday July 14. And also, some months later, former Church Labour councillor Loraine Cox announced[9][August-24th] that she has resigned from the Labour Party, to join the growing Independent group of councillors, before eventually joining the Hyndburn Conservative group[10][September-5th]. This leaves the Hyndburn Labour Party with only 13-sitting councillors, compared to 2019 when they had 26 councillors on Hyndburn Borough Council.

On May 5 (results day) Conservative candidate Mohammed Afzal was arrested and interviewed by the police in relation to corrupt practices. He was to be later charged, however on March 31, 2023, the CPS decided to drop the case on the basis that it was believed there was not a realistic chance of conviction, beyond reasonable doubt, based on poor police work, and further evidence presented by the defence team in conjunction with the legislation.

Ward Results

Clayton-le-Moors
Clayton-le-Moors - electorate 3,449
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter EDWARDS 594 53.7 20.2
Labour Timothy Aidan O'KANE 512 46.3 3.4
... spoilt votes 14
Majority 82 7.4 N/A
Turnout 1,121 32.50 1.58
Conservative gain from Labour Swing N/A

Huncoat
Huncoat - electorate 3,548
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Danny CASSIDY 641 59.2 47.7
Labour Samina MAHMOOD 442 40.8 -24.3
... spoilt votes 22
Majority 199 18.4 N/A
Turnout 1,106 31.17 -6.32
Conservative gain from Labour Swing N/A

Immanuel
Immanuel - electorate 3,372
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Josh Blayne ALLEN 609 55.2 -8.5
Labour Joanne Louise DEXTER 495 44.8 8.5
... spoilt votes 23
Majority 114 10.4 N/A
Turnout 1,124 33.33 -0.98
Conservative hold Swing

Milnshaw
Milnshaw - electorate 3,512
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Andrew Steven CLEGG 538 48.7 -3.7
Conservative Shahed MAHMOOD 353 31.9 14.0
Independent Malcolm Eric PRITCHARD 214 19.4 -10.3
... spoilt votes 11
Majority 185 16.5 N/A
Turnout 1,118 31.83 -8.27
Labour hold Swing N/A

Netherton
Netherton - electorate 3,391
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jodi CLEMENTS 717 64.0 -0.7
Conservative Mohammed AFZAL 315 28.1 -7.2
Reform UK Ian ROBINSON 88 7.9 N/A
... spoilt votes 9
Majority 402 35.9 N/A
Turnout 1,124 33.15 -4.3
Labour hold Swing

Overton
Overton - electorate 4,723
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Scott John BRERTON 803 52.1 5.4
Conservative Gareth Jason MOLINEUX 559 36.3 -9.3
Reform UK Wayne FITZHARRIS 178 11.6 N/A
... spoilt votes 8
Majority 244 15.8 N/A
Turnout 1,560 33.03 -3.38
Labour hold Swing

Peel
Peel - electorate 3,006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joyce Nicholson PLUMMER 507 68.9 -0.5
Conservative Jean HURN 184 25.0 10.8
Reform UK Sarah-Kay FITZHARRIS 45 6.1 N/A
... spoilt votes 9
Majority 323 43.9 N/A
Turnout 747 24.85 -2.5
Labour hold Swing

Rishton
Rishton - electorate 4,941
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bernard DAWSON 542 34.5 -13.0
Conservative Michael MILLER 504 32.0 -20.5
Independent Andrew Joseph HARRIS 446 28.4 N/A
Reform UK Paul David HACKER 81 5.1 N/A
... spoilt votes 9
Majority 38 2.5 N/A
Turnout 1,582 32.02 3.79
Labour gain from Conservative Swing N/A

Spring Hill
Spring Hill - electorate 3,592
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kimberley WHITEHEAD 725 52.6 -30.6
Conservative Allah DAD 654 47.4 30.6
... spoilt votes 15
Majority 71 5.2 N/A
Turnout 1,394 38.81 12.66
Labour hold Swing

St Andrew's
St. Andrew's - electorate 3,355
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Steven Lee SMITHSON 578 53.4 2.1
Labour Stewart Thurston EAVES 505 46.6 -2.1
... spoilt votes 9
Majority 73 6.8 N/A
Turnout 1,094 32.61 -5.07
Conservative hold Swing

St Oswald's
St Oswald's - electorate 4,836
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Marlene Heather HAWORTH 1,006 56.3 10.3
Conservative Zak KHAN (*) 734 41.1 -2.9
Labour Glen Kevin HARRISON 641 35.9 -9.2
Labour Wajid HUSSAIN 375 21.0 -24.1
Independent Janet BROWN 285 15.9 N/A
Reform UK Paul BROWN 120 6.7 -1.9
Reform UK Richard OAKLEY 35 2.0 -6.6
... spoilt votes 4
Majority N/A
Turnout 1,792 37.06
Conservative hold Swing N/A
Conservative gain from Labour Swing N/A

References
  1. "Elections and referendums". www.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. "Another labour politician quits borough council". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 23 March 2022.
  3. "Hyndburn Council boss quits 'bullying and vindictive' Labour Party". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  4. "Hyndburn Labour 'a disgrace' says fourth senior councillor to quit". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  5. "Fifth senior Hyndburn Labour figure quits 'toxic' local party". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  6. "Labour Party sees another councillor resign at Hyndburn Borough Council". www.lancs.live. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  7. "Hyndburn politician cautioned for assault resigns from council". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  8. "Labour Party's Hyndburn council infighting continues with another councillor suspended". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  9. "Another Labour Party figure quits party over alleged toxic culture at Hyndburn Borough Council". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  10. "Former Hyndburn Labour councillor joins Tories". www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
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