THE makeup of Worcester City Council has changed drastically after this years elections, with Labour now one seat off an overall majority while the Conservatives are now down to just one councillor.
The Green Party and the Liberal Democrats also gained seats as all 35 councillors were elected on the same day for the first time in the authority’s history.
For the full list of results click here.
Here is how each of the major parties reacted.
Labour- ‘A minority administration is possible’
Labour were the biggest winners of the day, gaining four seats to leave them with 17 overall- just one shy of a majority.
The city’s Labour group also held on to all the councillors who represented them during the previous administration.
Coun Lynn Denham, joint leader of the council before tonight, told the Observer a minority Labour administration could be possible but wouldn’t be drawn into making any commitments on the route forward.
She added: “I’m thrilled, all our Labour councillors have passion for the city, skills, and knowledge to bring to our party and this council.
“We now need an opportunity to reflect on what has happened and celebrate our massive achievement.
“Undoubtedly on the doorstep people have been saying they’ll vote for anybody but the Conservative’s and even lifelong supporters want to get rid of this government and all they represent.”
Conservatives- ‘34 to one are odds I can live with’
The big losers of tonight’s election were undoubtedly the Conservatives who dropped from seven councillors to just one.
The startling decline in numbers comes just three years after the Conservatives held an overall majority in Worcester.
The most notable defeat of the evening came in the new Warndon and Elbury Park Ward, which saw two sitting Tory councillors, including party leader James Stanley, lose their seats to Labour candidates.
The one winner from this latest set of votes was Coun Alan Amos, who will be representing not only Lower Wick and Pitmaston but the entire Conservative Party,
But he told the Observer 34 to one odds were ones he could deal with.
“I’ve worked hard and got things done during the last eight years as a councillor and I will speak up for my constituents, if I make controversial comments so be it.
“What I want to do is to keep the area nice, clean and safe.
“The national picture does affect the local picture but my result shows if you care about people and work hard you can get re-elected.
“I’ll be speaking loudly now for my constituents and my party in the city.
“The conservatives got tens of thousands of votes, these people need to be represented and I’ll do that.”
Green Party- ‘We will fight for a fairer Worcester’
The 2024 election was another successful one for the Greens who continue to defy the national consensus by solidifying their place as the second largest party on the council.
The Greens held onto their 11 seats while also gaining one courtesy of Alex Kinnersley, who won the St Clement seat vacated by former leader Coun Simon Geraghty and contested by Conservative Gogglebox star Seb James.
The Green’s success came despite the absence of Coun Marjory Bisset, who was joint-leader before tonight’s election but didn’t stand to retain her seat.
Coun Hannah Cooper said the Greens would continue to fight for a cleaner, greener and fairer Worcester.
Coun Karen Lewing added: “When I was voted onto the City Council I was the fourth to be elected and our growth since then has been fantastic.
“When residents elect a Green councillor they see a difference with actions speaking louder than words.”
Liberal Democrat’s- ‘We’re going in the right direction’
It was an historic night for the Liberal Democrat’s who now have five councillors in Worcester for the first time.
The Lib Dem’s continued their stronghold of Claines with three thumping victories.
They also held onto their seat in St Nicholas, courtesy of a Coun Sarah Murray re-election, and gained a seat in the same ward through John Rudge.
Lib Dem leader Coun Mel Allcott also gained the single most votes by any candidate, with 1,798 people putting a tick next to her name on their ballot sheet.
She said todays result showed the party was going in the right direction by making sensible moves and slowly moving across the city.
“Looking across the wards not everyone wants to make that move from the Tories to Labour and we can offer a home for them, we’re very centrist.
“People can expect to be looked after, we are focused on transport, the environment and housing, we will use a democratic approach and listen to our residents, not just tell them what the agenda is.
“We have listened to people and it has worked, the results are in the majority we have in Claines.”
