Hartburn Conservatives sweep the board in Stockton Council election

The victory in Hartburn last night (June 22) makes the Conservatives the largest party in Stockton Council. The Tories now have 25 seats to Labour’s 22 – but they remain without power on the Labour-led authority.

Conservative candidates Lynn Hall and Niall Innes were re-elected in the ward, both with majorities of more than 1,000 votes over their Labour rivals. A new third seat in the ward, which was expanded under electoral boundary changes, was scooped up by Conservative candidate Jason French, also with a large majority.

Councillor Niall Innes, a Conservative representing Hartburn ward, in Stockton

No party is in overall control of Stockton Council. Labour held on to minority control in the town with support from seven independent councillors.

All Thornaby Independent Association (TIA) and Ingleby Barwick Independent Society (IBIS) members backed Labour group leader Cllr Bob Cook when councillors voted 29-21 to keep him as council leader, against Conservative group leader Cllr Tony Riordan, at the authority’s annual general meeting in May.

Councillor Lynn Hall. Conservative member for Hartburn ward on Stockton Council

Following the leadership vote, a Labour cabinet was appointed along with overwhelmingly Labour chairs and vice chairs of council committees. Only one Conservative member was given such a position, Cllr Stefan Houghton as vice chair of the audit governance committee.

The election in Hartburn had been delayed in April following the death of Reform UK candidate Mike Elliott. The Conservatives had criticised the timing of the poll, saying it made it less likely Conservatives would lead the council or have full representation on its committees.

Voters decided between 10 candidates in total – three Conservative, three Green, two Labour and two Reform UK – with a 40.15% turnout.

The results in full were:

Christopher Coombs (Labour) – 771

Andrew Elliott (Reform UK) – 264

Jason French (Conservative) – 1,574 – ELECTED

Lynn Hall (Conservative) – 1,788 – ELECTED

Jess Hobson (Green) – 342

Niall Innes (Conservative) – 1,773 – ELECTED

Jason Jordan (Green) – 131

Kiran Singh (Green) – 134

Andrew Stephenson (Reform UK) – 169

Joanne Tyler (Labour) – 681