Shrub End by-election 7 Sep 2017

Shrub End by-election following shock resignation on 14 July by Lib Dem councillor Karen Chaplin (citing family reasons). Tory win - and there were 2 Green gains elsewhere in England.

Shrub End by-election result

Con 681
Lab 573
LD 373
Ukip 52
Ind (Make Shrub End Great Again) 64
Green 37
Labour increased their vote by 20% - a bigger swing than the Tories. Given that in 2015 LD was top and Lab trailing in 3rd, Labour supporter says this confirms that Labour is the main challenger. Facebook link

Elsewhere the Greens took two council seats direct from the Conservatives in Lewes and Cannock Chase - which, some Greens say, supports the view that we should focus more on Conservative areas than Labour ones. Facebook link

Lewes DC, Ringmer & Ouse Valley – 7 September 2017

Green 835 [38.7%; +29.2%]
Conservative 660 [30.6%; 10.5%]
LD James Gardiner 457 [21.2%; -20.5%]
Labour 167 [7.7%; +7.7%]
UKIP 38 [1.8%; -5.9%]
Green gain from Conservative
Turnout 42%
Percentage changes from 2015

Cannock Chase DC, Hednesford South – 7 September 2017

Green 513 [48.3%; +5.7%]
Conservative 311 [29.3%; +7.1%]
Labour 190 [17.9%; -2.6%]
UKIP 48 [4.5%; -10.2%]
Green gain from Conservative
Percentage changes from 2016
Turnout 26.1%

2016 results in A-Z order 

1. LYN Barton (Lib Dem) 960
2. KAREN Chaplin (Lib Dem) 569
3. PAULINE Hazell (Con) 526
4. JAMIE Chaplin (Lib Dem) 508
5. STEVE Dunt (Lab) 322
6. STUART Ellis (Lab) 305
7. WOLFGANG Fauser (Green) 206
8. VIC Flores (Con) 496
9. MIKE Hardy (Con) 510
10. MARIA Harrison (Green) 92
11. BRUNO Hickman (UKIP) 379
12. SHARRON Lawrence (Ind) 349
13. BRUCE Tuxford (Lab) 324
14. STUART Welham (Green) 143

2016 results ranked by vote 

1. LYN Barton (Lib Dem) 960
2. KAREN Chaplin (Lib Dem) 569
3. PAULINE Hazell (Con) 526
4. JAMIE Chaplin (Lib Dem) 508
5. MIKE Hardy (Con) 510
6. VIC Flores (Con) 496
7. BRUNO Hickman (UKIP) 379
8. SHARRON Lawrence (Ind) 349
9. BRUCE Tuxford (Lab) 324
10. STEVE Dunt (Lab) 322
11. STUART Ellis (Lab) 305
12. WOLFGANG Fauser (Green) 206
13. STUART Welham (Green) 143
14. MARIA Harrison (Green) 92

Apparently Lib Dem Chairperson Anne Turrell is mainly resident in Marbella, Spain (see comments by The Shrub and by Shrubby).