Liberal Democrats retain two seats on Luton Borough Council in by-election

L: Anwar Malik and R: Adrees Latif. Pictures: Luton Borough CouncilL: Anwar Malik and R: Adrees Latif. Pictures: Luton Borough Council
L: Anwar Malik and R: Adrees Latif. Pictures: Luton Borough Council
The Liberal Democrats have held on to two seats on Luton Borough Council, after local authority by-election victories.

Their ballot box successes follow the recent resignations of two of the party’s councillors for family and personal reasons.

Anwar Malik topped the poll for the party’s focus team in Barnfield ward with 1,169 votes, while colleague Adrees Latif triumphed in Wigmore on 749.

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Fewer than one in five of the local electorate in each ward turned out to vote in the by-elections.

Karen Roy for Labour was the runner-up in Barnfield on 321 votes, Ash Ali of the Conservative and Unionist Party came third with 209, Edward Carpenter representing the Green Party received 110, and Independent candidate Marc Scheimann polled 32 votes.

Independent candidate Carolyn Cottier came second in Wigmore on 209 votes, with Philip Turner for the Conservative and Unionist Party third on 151, just ahead of Farid Ahmed for Labour on 137 and Elissa Brooke Gordon representing the Green Party on 125.

The turnout in Barnfield was 19.8 per cent, and the figure was slightly lower in Wigmore at 19.5 per cent, it was announced during the by-election count at Luton Town Hall, last night (Thursday).

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Verified votes cast in Barnfield ward totalled 1,848 and in Wigmore it was 1,373. At the May elections last year, the turnout in Barnfield was 36.1 per cent, with 8,953 votes cast, while turnout in Wigmore was 32.4 per cent with 4,281 votes recorded.

Returning officer for Luton and borough council chief executive Robin Porter said: “The by-elections were necessary because of the resignations of two serving councillors for heath and family reasons.

“My thanks to our staff at all 11 polling stations today and those at the count at the Town Hall this evening.

“My congratulations to councillor Malik and councillor Latif. I would also like to thank all those that turned out and voted.”

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At the start of the campaign, the Lib Dems said local self-employed accountant and financial advisor Anwar Malik has lived in the town for more than 20 years.

“As well as running his own successful business, he offers voluntary advice, counselling and support to local residents on personal matters,” the party added.

A former Challney High School pupil, Adrees Latif has lived in Luton since the age of eight and is involved in several local voluntary groups, while helping run the family Post Office business for the last 18 years, according to the Lib Dems.

Liberal Democrat Barnfield and former Conservative Icknield councillor Jeff Petts and Lib Dem Wigmore councillor Claire Gallagher stepped down last month.

There are 29 Labour councillors, 15 Liberal Democrats, three Conservatives and one Independent on the borough council.

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