By-election results (May 1st)

While Reform UK’s turquoise tsunami swept into control of Derbyshire County Council, other elections held in the county on the same day told a different story.

Voters across the county went to the polls on Thursday May 1st, to cast their ballots in the Derbyshire County Council elections, but some areas had additional contests.

Reform UK only stood candidates in two out of the six borough council seats up for grabs in Amber Valley, Chesterfield and Erewash – winning one.

There were vacancies for two spots on Amber Valley Borough Council in the Kilburn, Denby, Holbrook & Horsley ward and the Ironville & Riddings ward.

In the Kilburn seat, Conservative candidate Matt Murray, a former borough councillor, regained his spot on the authority with the Green Party’s Nicola Perry in second and Labour’s John Cowings in third. There was no Reform candidate.

Cllr Murray had also contested the county council seat of South Belper & Holbrook which was won by the Green Party’s Gez Kinsella – where Reform finished second through Martin Carnell.

This race saw independent Alex Stevenson finish fourth. Mr Stevenson had been elected as a Conservative county councillor in 2021 before he was suspended from the party, switching allegiance to Reform UK, resigning from the party and sitting as an Amber Valley Independent.

He ran in the county council election for the Heanor division as an independent but came second behind Reform’s Peter Matthews by more than 300 votes.

In the Ironville seat, independent Philip Rose won a spot on the borough council with a 21-vote victory over the Conservatives’ Sarah Tucker, with Labour in third place and no Reform candidate.

Cllr Rose had also been elected to the county council as a Conservative in 2021 before being suspended by the party, changing allegiance to Reform UK, resigning from the party and sitting as an Amber Valley Independent.

He ran in the county council election for the Codnor, Aldercar, Langley Mill and Loscoe division as an independent but came fourth with Reform’s Darran Furness winning the contest.

There was one vacancy to be filled in Chesterfield Borough Council in the Brampton East and Boythorpe ward.

Keith Falconer for the Liberal Democrats was successful, winning with 60 votes over Reform UK’s Courtney James, with Labour’s Pauline Twigg in third.

There were vacancies to be filled for three spots on Erewash Borough Council in the Cotmanhay, Kirk Hallam & Stanton by Dale and Nottingham Road (Long Eaton) wards.

In Cotmanhay, Reform UK’s Dan Price won with a significant lead over Labour’s Paul Opiah and the Conservatives’ Sue Beardsley – former Mayor of Erewash.

This is Reform UK’s first councillor on Erewash Borough Council.

Conservative Andrew Prince was successful in the Kirk Hallam & Stanton by Dale ward, winning a three-person race over the Green Party’s Deena Draycott in second and Labour’s Richard Pollard in third.

In Long Eaton’s Nottingham Road ward, Conservative Lorna Maginnis was successful in another three-person race over Labour’s Denise Mellors – former Erewash Labour group leader – and the Green Party’s Mell Catrori.

Here are the full results for the six by-elections:

Erewash Borough Council
Cotmanhay ward

• Sue Beardsley – Conservative – 137
• Lauren Mckie – Green Party – 61
• Paul Opiah – Labour – 175
• Dan Price – Reform UK – 591
• Angela Togni – Liberal Democrat – 61
• Kirk Hallam & Stanton by Dale ward
• Deena Draycott – Green Party – 447
• Richard Pollard – Labour – 290
• Andrew Prince – Conservative – 589

Nottingham Road ward

• Mell Catrori – Green Party – 273
• Lorna Maginnis – Conservative – 543
• Denise Mellors – Labour – 392

Amber Valley Borough Council
Kilburn, Denby, Holbrook & Horsley ward

• John Cowings – Labour – 585
• Sarah Gent – Liberal Democrats – 169
• Matt Murray – Conservative – 854
• Nicola Perry – Green Party – 676
• Alex Stevenson – Independent – 375

Ironville & Riddings ward

• Dave Hatchett – Green Party – 147
• Philip Rose – Independent – 463
• Paul Slater – Liberal Democrats – 100
• Sarah Tucker – Conservative – 442
• James Whitmore – Labour – 340

Chesterfield Borough Council
Brampton East & Boythorpe ward

• Keith Falconer – Liberal Democrats – 410
• Jane Hindle – Independent – 90
• Courtney James – Reform UK – 350
• David Jones – Chesterfield Independents – 9
• Katherine Noble – Green Party – 48
• Jacob Rogers – Conservative – 42
• Pauline Twigg – 235