The Conservative Party has fared badly in local elections across Staffordshire losing control of several councils, while Labour has taken charge of two authorities.
Eight out of nine of the county’s local authorities held elections, with polls closing at 10pm on May 4.
Some authorities counted overnight and others throughout Friday, with all counts completed by 7pm.
In Stoke-on-Trent, Labour returned to power for the first time in eight years – and pledged to be the party of business.
They took control of the City Council after winning 29 of the 44 seats. The Conservatives, who had been running the council, trailed in second with 14 seats. One Independent was also elected.
Leader of the Labour Group Jane Ashworth, who is set to become the new council leader, said she was “keen to get going”.
She said: “I think there is so much to do. There are so many pressures on people who live here that we need to start working straight away.”
During the election campaign, Jane, pictured above, pledged to create a business support network to help companies in trouble due to the cost of living and said she would undertake a review of the council procurement strategy to make it easier for local businesses to win contracts from the city.
She said: “I want this four-year term to be known as the time when Labour worked tightly and closely with business in the city to improve the local economy.”
In East Staffordshire, Labour gained control from the Conservatives for the first time in two decades, winning 21 seats of 37 seats. This was an increase of 11 on their previous tally.
The Conservatives’ total fell to 15 (a loss of 8). The remaining seat out of 37 went to an Independent.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “We have been going backwards in Staffordshire in recent general elections. With this gain and our win in Stoke, we are making real progress in the places we need to win the next election.”
Meanwhile, the Conservatives lost control of Tamworth Borough Council after almost two decades in charge.
A third of seats were up for grabs, with Labour making seven gains and the Conservatives losing five.
The result means there is no party with overall control, although the Conservatives still hold the most – 14 out of 30 – seats.
Similarly, in Cannock Chase, the Conservatives lost overall control of the District Council.
In the 2023 local elections 17 seats were up for grabs out of 41. Labour had the best result with 9 councillors elected against the Conservatives’ 4. Green Party councillors won 4 seats.
Overall the Conservatives now stand at 18 seats, Labour at 17, Greens at 5 and Lib Dems at 1. Previously the Conservatives held 21 and Labour 12 with other seats held by Liberal Democrats, Greens and independents.
In Lichfield, the Conservatives lost overall control of District Council, which now has no parties in overall control.
They won 23 seats (down 11), whilst Labour took 17 (up 7), Lib Dems won 7 (up 6) and Independents and others lost both of their previous seats.
The Conservatives have lost their position as the largest party on Staffordshire Moorlands District Council with Labour making significant gains and overtaking them in a nail-biting contest.
With 56 seats out of 56 up for grabs, Labour won 24, the Conservatives won 22, Independents and others 8, Greens 1 and Liberal Democrats 1.
The council is hung, with none of the parties in overall control.
In Stafford, where all 40 seats were being contested, the Borough Council remained under no overall control.
Conservatives saw their total fall back to 15, while Labour gained two seats to move to 12.
Independent and other candidates held 7 while the Green Party fared well – gaining four seats to move their tally to five. The Liberal Democrats now hold the other seat on the council.
There was better news for the Tories in South Staffordshre where they comprehensively held on to power on the council, although they are now three seats down.
With all 42 seats declared, the Conservatives have 29, Independents and others 5 (down 2), Lib Dems 4 (gain of 4), Green 2 (no change) and Labour 2 (up 1).
