As of Friday 5th May, the Labour party has the most seats in the City of York Council, following last week’s local elections.
The elections took place on Thursday 4th May, and the results were announced the following day. They revealed the Labour party took the majority, gaining 24 of the 47 seats on the council, meaning an outright majority party will be running the council for the first time since 2015.
Labour candidates were elected in ten wards, if we include Westfield Ward, in which they won two of the three seats. They were also successfully elected in Fulford & Heslington Ward and Hull Road Ward.
One of the elected co-councillors for Fishergate Ward is Labour candidate Conrad James Whitcroft. In an interview in April, he was determined his party could provide necessary change, he told Vision, “the reason I’m standing for Labour is because I know Labour’s got the answers.”
The City of York Council will now be run by the Labour party for the first time since May 2015, taking over from the Liberal Democrat and Green Party coalition, who have run the council since May 2019.
Labour Leader elect of City of York Council, Councillor Claire Douglas said: “The election result was fantastic for Labour and for the city. It’s vindication for all the hard work our candidates have put in over the months and years running into this election.”
The Labour party and Liberal Democrats were the parties with the highest votes during the 2023 election, with the Lib Dems trailing behind with 19 seats. It secured large wards, such as Rural West York Ward and Wheldrake Ward, but failed to amass as many seats as Labour.
The Conservative party, meanwhile, had a disappointing year. They had a good run in 2015-2019, repeatedly receiving the highest votes. However, in 2023 elections the party has now only obtained three seats: Bishopthorpe Ward, Copmanthorpe Ward, and one of the seats from Osbaldwick and Derwent Ward.
The other seat in Osbaldwick and Derwent Ward, and the last remaining in the Council, went to the independent Mark Jonathan Warters.
Meanwhile, the Yorkshire Party, Green Party and Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition walked away with nothing, with the Greens losing all three of its seats won in 2019.
This election seemed to have a good turnout, all things considered. According to the House of Commons Library, the overall turnout of local elections in 2021 was 35.9%. This year in York, we saw our lowest ward turnout of 30.2%, but our highest was 51.6% in Bishopthorpe Ward.
So, the people have spoken! But what changes can we expect to see from our new council?
“We will run the council in a more collaborative way with the city’s residents, businesses and other organisations,” Douglas continued in her statement, “consultation will take place for a reason and not as a substitute for decision making. We can’t wait to get started with implementing our manifesto pledges, including reversing the deeply unpopular Blue Badge access ban as soon as possible.”
With plans full-steam ahead then, the Labour party embarks on its aspirations to make York a better place, and will run the City of York Council for the upcoming year until the next elections.