Surrey local election results announced
Local election results for six Surrey council areas show a mixed picture across the county after residents went to the polls on Thursday.
Seats in Runnymede, Woking, Reigate and Banstead, Elmbridge, Tandridge, and Mole Valley were up for re-election.
The Conservatives lost four seats in Reigate and Banstead, which in March was the last of Surrey's district and borough councils to fall from Conservative control.
The Green Party gained two seats there while Labour and the Lib Dems gained one each.
Counting took place throughout Friday, with first results coming in from Tandridge District Council which remained under no overall control.
It was the first time in 24 years that the whole of the council was up for election, due to new ward boundaries.
The Residents' Alliance now holds 20 seats, with the Lib Dems the second party with 11 seats and the Conservatives with seven seats.
Remaining independent councillors hold five seats.
Turnout in Tandridge was 35.8%.
In Woking, the Conservatives were wiped out completely, losing the four seats they had.
The Liberal Democrats kept control of the authority, and now have 24 seats, well ahead of independents on five and Labour with a single seat.
Josh Brown, a Conservative councillor who lost his seat, said: “People of Woking have clearly had their say and we respect that, but the process going forward is who is going to hold this super majority to account?
“I think there will be a muted scrutiny function and that Woking and all of our residents will be worse off.”
The Conservatives also lost five seats in Reigate and Banstead, but remain the largest party in a hung council with 18, followed by the Green Party on 13, residents association councillors on six, the Liberal Democrats on four and Labour and independent councillors on two each.
The Liberal Democrats just missed out on taking control of Elmbridge, after council leader Bruce McDonald lost his Claygate seat to Independent Mary Marshall.
Despite making four more gains, they are on 23 seats, just two short of the number needed. The council remains in no overall control.
In Runnymede, with a 32% turnout, the Conservatives lost seats and remained short of a majority.
Going in to the election they had been a minority administration, and ended the day with 13 councillors.
Labour have eight in total, having won four of the 14 seats up for election.
The Lib Dems have six councillors, Residents' Association six, Independents five and there are three green councillors.
Surrey's Conservative Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Lisa Townsend, was re-elected for a second term.
She fought off opposition from Labour, Lib Dem and Independent candidates and got a total of 95,538 votes.
Turnout in the Surrey PCC election was 29.9% overall.
In Mole Valley the Liberal Democrats retained their majority.
They now have 31 of the 39 seats, while there are six independent councillors and two Conservatives.
With a general election expected later in 2024, the local vote is being seen as a crucial test for the government.
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