Reform UK wins party's first seat on Luton Borough Council in Wigmore by-election
Reform UK candidate James Fletcher has won the Wigmore by-election by 43 votes to become the party’s first councillor serving on Luton Borough Council.
He topped the polls with 576 votes to gain the seat from the Liberal Democrat Focus Team, whose candidate George Neculaiu polled 533 votes in second place.
Green Party candidate Carolyn Cottier was third with 344 votes, ahead of Georgia Marcantonio for the Labour Party on 170, the Conservative and Unionist Party’s Sam Choudhury on 116, and Independent candidate Marc Scheimann on 13 votes.
The overall turnout was 25.68 per cent, while the total number of verified votes cast was 1,754 from a ward electorate of 6,831.
The by-election was called after former Liberal Democrat councillor Alan Skepelhorn failed to attend any local authority meeting for more than six months.
LBC chief executive and returning officer for Luton Mark Fowler said afterwards: “The election of a councillor is a vital part of our local democracy.
“I’d like to congratulate councillor Fletcher on his success and thank everyone who turned out to vote. I’m also grateful to all our staff who worked at the three polling stations throughout the day, as well as those who supported the count at the Town Hall this evening.”
There are now 28 Labour councillors, 14 Liberal Democrats, three Conservatives, two Independents and one Reform UK councillor on the local authority.