Reform UK has won two seats in a Newark and Sherwood District Council by-election – the party’s first seats on the authority.
Reform’s Kay Smith will now represent the Balderton North and Coddington ward, and Michelle Home the Castle ward.
The by-election was triggered in September after Emma Oldham, who represented Balderton North and Coddington for the Green Party, and Adrian Amer, an independent representing Castle in Newark, both resigned from their positions on the council.
Castle ward’s Michelle Home beat the Conservative Party’s candidate, Mathew Skinner, by just 11 votes on the night – with the turnout for both wards sitting only in the mid-twenties.
East Midlands Green Party co-chair, Ben Gray, said of the result: “We’re extremely grateful to our candidate Martin for stepping up on such short notice.
“Emma was a wonderful local councillor and will be sorely missed by ourselves and many others.
“If the new Reform councillor can be a tenth of the councillor Emma was for the Green Party and Balderton North and Coddington Ward then the residents will be very lucky indeed.”
Cllr Oldham was elected in 2023 and stood for the Independents for Newark and District group, before she quit to join the Green Party in September last year. She had further stood as a portfolio holder covering the environment and climate.
She stepped down for health reasons.
Mr Amer had similarly stood for the grass-roots Independents for Newark and District group upon his election in 2023, before he too defected to stand independent of any group. The practising barrister also stood as an independent candidate in the 2024 General Election.
Mr Amer has been contacted for comment, but it is understood he stepped down for “personal reasons”.
Cllr Sam Smith, Conservative leader of the opposition at Nottinghamshire County Council and councillor for Newark East, added: “We Conservatives want to see an end to illegal immigration… but nobody can stop the boats from a local council!
“Yet stopping the boats is all Reform promise in local elections, such as the two Newark and Sherwood District Council by-elections held last night.
“At local council level, we Conservatives are focused on what really matters to our communities — fixing roads, tackling fly-tipping, supporting local services, and standing up for residents across Nottinghamshire.”
Castle ward results:
Lisa Geary (Lab) – 88
Jane Harrison (Ind) – 74
Michelle Home (Ref) – 204 (E)
Alla Musson (Lib Dem) – 70
Bee Newboult (Green) – 61
Glenis Rix (Ind) – 14
Mathew Skinner (Con) – 193
Turnout – 26.54 per cent
Balderton North and Coddington results:
Janette Barlow (Con) – 480
Tracey Jevons-Hazzard (Lab) – 101
Martin Lunn (Green) – 173
Kay Smith (Ref) – 545 (E)
Turnout – 25.26 per cent
