A crunch council by-election took place in the heart of Worcestershire this week after a former councillor resigned.
Residents cast their ballot for a new councillor for the Tenbury ward on Malvern Hills District Council on Thursday after Conservative Andrew Willmott stepped down.
Last time locals headed to the polls was in 2023 when the local Conservative Party took home 37 per cent of the vote on the district council.
Ahead of the election, 11 Tories, seven Greens, seven Liberal Democrats and three independents sat on the local authority.
However, the mid-term contest was the first the electorate could vote for a Reform candidate onto the district council.
And Duane Hubbard, who was standing for Nigel Farage’s party, is now the ward’s newest district councillor, taking the seat from the Tories.
Reform UK stormed ahead of its rival parties, taking home 45.1 per cent of the vote.
Mr Hubbard said: “I cannot thank the community of Tenbury Wells enough for taking the time and having the trust to vote for me.
Duane Hubbard won 45.1 per cent of the vote
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REFORM UK
“I am extremely humbled and honoured to know so many turned out and have faith that I can try and do good for the district.”
The Conservatives were left in second place with 30.3 per cent of the share.
Carl Fordington fought his campaign by insisting he was the candidate most likely to prevent Reform from victory.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats, who did not stand at the 2023 election, won 12.7 per cent of the vote. The Greens came last on 12 per cent, dropping eight per cent from their last test at the ballot box.
It was the first contest for the seat where Reform UK could take part
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GETTY
RESULTS IN FULL:
- Carl Fordington – Conservative and Unionist Party (30.3 per cent)
- Duane Anthony Hubbard – Reform UK (45.1 per cent)
- Sam Lewis – Green Party (12 per cent)
- Jed Marson – Liberal Democrats (12.7 per cent)
At last year’s local elections, Reform stormed to victory on Worcestershire County Council, ousting the Conservative administration.
Nigel Farage’s party pushed the council to go under no overall control, with Reform UK becoming the authority’s largest party.
Their time in the local authority has been widely criticised, particularly for slapping a nine per cent council tax hike on residents – despite campaigning to cut taxes.
The authority ended up requiring almost £60million in emergency Government support to dodge effective bankruptcy.
Mr Farage said he wished his party “hadn’t bothered” with taking minority control of a “virtually bankrupt council”.