Live coverage of the Leicestershire County Council elections as they affect the Ashby and Coalville area
Welcome to our live coverage of the North West Leicestershire elections for Leicestershire County Council.
The voting took place across eight wards, Ashby, Coalville North and South, Valley, Ibstock and Appleby, Castle Donington and Kegworth, Forest and Measham and Whitwick.
Reform were expected to perform well and the first results have just been announced during the count at Whitwick and Coalville Leisure Centre.
The new councillor for Ibstock and Appleby is Heather-based Virge Richichi who polled around 900 more votes than the Conservative candidate Jenny Simmons.
The results were:
- Simon Lambeth (Labour) 478
- David Morgan (Green Party) 202
- Virge Richichi (Reform UK) 1699
- Jenny Simmons (Conservative) 884
- Lee Windram (Liberal Democrat) 184
That was swiftly followed by the result for Castle Donington and Kegworth - which also went to Reform UK in the shape of Charles Pugsley.
The result from the north of the county was:
- Ian Bradley (Liberal Democrat) 279
- Jessie Cooke (Green Party) 120
- Alison Morley (Labour Party) 348
- Ted Parton (Conservative) 606
- Charles Pugsley (Reform UK) 1146
- Ray Sutton (Independent) 691
- Tania Wilson (Animal Welfare) 76
Reform UK then took the Conservative seat in Coalville South, formerly held by Keith Merrie MBE.
The new councillor for the ward is Paul Harrison and the result for here was:
• Robert Clarke (Green Party) 197
• Aimee Garner (Conservative) 606
• Carissma Griffiths (Labour) 378
• Paul Harrison (Reform UK) 1,1611
• Michael Wyatt (Liberal Democrat) 807
But the big shock of the day was that Ashby-based leader of the County Council Nick Rushton lost his seat in the Valley Ward.
Cllr Rushton has stepped back from his role at County Hall recently due to ill-health, with Cllr Deborah Taylor standing in.
But losing his seat on the County Council is considered a major surprise.
He was beaten by the Reform UK candidate Michael Squires.
The result here was:
• Carl Benfield (Green Party) 684
• Siobhan Dillon 99
• Greg Parle (Labour) 431
• Nick Rushton (Conservative) 1,166
• Michael Squires (Reform UK) 1,467
• Paul Tyler (Liberal Democrat) 203
Craig Smith is flying the flag for the Conservatives and has held on to his seat in Coalville North.
And it has been the only ward not to go the way of Reform UK.
The result here was:
• Elliott Allman (Reform UK) 1,100
• Amanda Briers (Liberal Democrat) 155
• David Kellock (Green Party) 130
• Rebecca Pawley (Labour) 433
• Craig Smith (Conservative) 1,280
Ashby has been won by Dan Harrison for Reform UK. Cllr Harrison switched parties from Conservative to Reform UK recently to become the party's only councillor at County Hall.
He has retained his support despite that.
The Ashby result was:
• Martin Cooper (Liberal Democrat) 416
• Dan Harrison (Reform UK) 1407
• Ray Morris (Conservative) 665
• Damilola Ojuri (Labour) 864
• Drew Timms (Green Party) 306
Joseph Boam, leader of the North West Leicestershire branch of Reform UK, has won the Whitwick ward ahead of the Conservatives' Tony Gillard.
Boam becomes one of the youngest councillors at County Hall with a winning margin over 600 votes.
The Whitwick result was:
• Joseph Boam (Reform UK) 1,601
• Morgan Burke (Liberal Democrat)
• Tony Gillard (Conservartive) 1,016
• Peter Moult (Labour) 612
• James Unnwin (Conservative) 172
In Forest and Measham, Adam Tilbury won for Reform UK with over 1,300 votes.
The result here was:
• Michelle Holdcroft (Labour) 609
• Pritesh Patel (Green Party) 124
• Adam Tilbury (Reform UK) 1,353
• Andrew Woodman (Conservative) 759
• David Wyatt (Liberal Democrat) 136
.....and that's a wrap.
It's been a huge day for Reform UK in North West Leicestershire - and nationwide.
The party has won all but one of the eight wards in the district, with some big names locally falling by the wayside.
There will be interviews with some of the winning candidates over the weekend.
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