Independents retain Kirkby South in Nottinghamshire Council by-election

The council did not hold a full election on Thursday but one seat was up for grabs in Ashfield.

Kirkby South was vacated by departing politician Daniel Williamson, who retained it as an Ashfield Independent candidate in May 2021.

He inherited the seat from previous Ashfield Independent incumbent Rachel Madden, who did not seek re-election in the poll two years ago.

But now Coun Madden has again won an election in the Kirkby South division after successfully beating Labour and the Conservatives.

The new councillor, who also secured victory in Annesley and Kirkby Woodhouse on Ashfield Council, received 1,680 votes in the by-election.

Labour’s Lorraine Fagan received 1,017 votes and finished in second place, ahead of the Conservatives’ Sam Howlett receiving 584 votes in third.

Turnout for the by-election was 35.13 per cent.

It means the Independent Alliance continues to sit as the joint opposition party at County Hall alongside Labour. Both parties occupy 15 seats.

The ruling Conservatives have 35 seats, while Coun Steve Garner, Independent member for Mansfield South, makes up the final seat in the County Hall chamber.

A victory for either Labour or the Conservatives would have seen the Independents demoted back to the minority opposition group at the council.

The group, which includes 10 Ashfield Independents, four unaligned independents and one Liberal Democrat, became joint opposition last November after Coun Kane Oliver won the Eastwood by-election.

Coun Madden said: “Listening to the people on the doorstep, my main priority has to be the state of the roads and pavements throughout the county.

“We pay our council tax up front, isn’t it time it’s paid back to Ashfield?

“It’s an enormous boost to my morale to know people out there think I can do this job to the best of my ability.

“All I can do is thank the people who turned out and put their cross against my name. It’s a wonderful feeling and I promise to do my best over the next two years.”

Kirkby South by-election result in full:

ELECTED – Rachel Madden, Ashfield Independents, 1,680 votes;

Lorraine Fagan, Labour. 1,017;

Sam Howlett, Conservative. 584.