Five takeaways from elections in Cambridgeshire

3 hours ago

Phil ShepkaCambridgeshire political reporter

Four areas in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough had elections

BBC Image of an election count in Huntingdonshire. It is in a sports hall with ballot boxes lying around and tables where people are set to council and adjudicate. — Four areas in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough had elections

Local elections took place in four areas of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with Labour losing control of Cambridge, the Liberal Democrats dominating South Cambridgeshire, while both Peterborough and Huntingdonshire are both under no overall control once more. But what are the stories behind those headlines?

Labour leader loses seat

Cameron Holloway had been leader of Cambridge City Council for a year

Emma Baugh/BBC Head and shoulders image of Cameron Holloway, standing in a sports hall. He has brown hair and is wearing a grey suit, red tie and white shirt. — Cameron Holloway had been leader of Cambridge City Council for a year

Labour had a difficult day across England, losing hundreds of councillors.

In Cambridge the story was no different, with the leader Cameron Holloway losing his seat to the Greens, who will be pleased with their performance in the city.

They took seven of the 15 seats up for grabs.

Kathryn Fisher is one of the new faces at Cambridge City Council

Matt Webb/BBC Kathryn Fisher looks into camera with a sports hall behind her. Kathryn has short brunette hair, rounded glasses ad is wearing a green top with a Green Party rosette. — Kathryn Fisher is one of the new faces at Cambridge City Council

Kathryn Fisher, who took the seat Holloway hoped to win, told the BBC afterwards: "We've had such a good day for the Cambridge Greens, winning every single target seat in the city, we're absolutely over the moon.

"We're not only a thorn in the side for Labour, but we're able to bring some fantastic propositions to the table."

Holloway, meanwhile, said that he was "very proud of their record" and "disappointed" he lost his seat, while Labour remain the largest party on the council.

Deals will now have to be done to see where the balance of power lies.

Peterborough swaps balance of power

The Peterborough count was held at Kingsgate Centre, with the final result declared at about 03:00 BST

A widescreen shot, taken from a balcony, of the election count, with many people sat at tables and party members chatting. There is a stage on the right. — The Peterborough count was held at Kingsgate Centre, with the final result declared at about 03:00 BST

The other council electing about a third of its councillors was Peterborough, where the Tories became the biggest party.

"We're not dead," said the Tory leader Wayne Fitzgerald.

Wayne Fitzgerald said it was a better than expected night for the Tories in Peterborough

Shariqua Ahmed/BBC Wayne Fitzgerald smiling for the camera. He has short white hair and is wearing a blue-and-white striped shirt and a blue blazer. — Wayne Fitzgerald said it was a better than expected night for the Tories in Peterborough

Reform have added four councillors and party members described the result as a strong night, but some admitted they had hoped to win more.

There was one slip up though, when Peter Reeve - himself a former UKIP councillor - accidentally said his former party's name in an interview with ITV after winning a seat for Reform in the city.

The city remains in no overall control. Labour are the second largest party. Where the power will lie in the city will become clear over the coming days or weeks.

What will happen in Hunts?

Karan Maheshwari, Ryan Coogan and Howard Tobias all won seats in Ramsay

Karan Maheshwari, Ryan Coogan and Howard Tobias are all standing side by side. Maheshwari is wearing blue glasses, a white shirt, blue tie and grey blazer. He is wearing a Reform UK rosette. Coogan has short brown hair and is wearing a blue and white stripped T-shirt and blue tie. Tobias is wearing a white shirt, blue tie and black suit jacket. He is also wearing a Reform UK rosette and sticker. — Karan Maheshwari, Ryan Coogan and Howard Tobias all won seats in Ramsay

Reform nationally have won more than 1,000 seats across English councils.

As well as Peterborough, they broke through in Huntingdonshire, going from no councillors to 10 as the council elected all 52 seats.

They won all three of the seats going in each of Ramsay and Huntingdon North.

Ryan Coogan, who won in the former, said: "People have absolutely had enough of rising taxes, crime on their streets, lack of infrastructure, services always feeling like they are failing and deteriorating."

But, like last time out, no party has a majority in Huntingdonshire. The Lib Dems have become the biggest party on 20, with the Tories next on 15.

With Independents, Greens and Labour in the mix too, discussions seemed to already be under way about coalition deals at One Leisure in St Ives on Friday to reach the magic 27 number to get a majority.

Hunts in Hunts

Nathan, Alan, Georgie and Jacqueline Hunt all stood for elections in Huntingdonshire

Four members of the Hunt family stand next to each other. From left to right is Nathan, Alan, Georgie, and Jacqueline. Nathan is wearing a white T-shirt and chequered blazer. He is also wearing a Liberal Democrat rosette. Alan is wearing a purple chequered shirt and a green coat, he is also wearing black framed glasses and a Liberal Democrat rosette. Georgie has long blonde hair and is wearing a black and white dress, a Green Party rosette and a lanyard. Jacqueline is wearing a floral dress and a Liberal Democrats rosette. She has long blonde hair and a fringe. — Nathan, Alan, Georgie and Jacqueline Hunt all stood for elections in Huntingdonshire

It was a family affair at the Huntingdonshire count as a family of four were all hoping to get a seat, three of them for the Liberal Democrats and one for the Green Party.

Nathan, Alan and Jacqueline Hunt all won seats for the Liberal Democrats in Huntingdon East and St Neots Eatons.

Georgie Hunt, for the Green Party, lost her battle for a seat representing Huntingdon North Ward.

"I think fundamentally I may wear a different rosette to my family, [but] we all stand for doing what is best for St Neots and Huntingdon," she said.

"My parents have always taught me you can leave the community better off than you found it, and there is nothing better than that really."

Four-day week does no harm for Lib Dems

Only two seats on South Cambridgeshrie District Council are not Liberal Democrat

Emma Howgego/BBC Liberal Democrat councillors and members celebrate victory in South Cambridgeshire District Council in a group photo outside with trees in the background. — Only two seats on South Cambridgeshrie District Council are not Liberal Democrat

Something which has put South Cambridgeshire District Council on the map nationally has been the four-day week for staff.

The Lib Dems introduced it as part of efforts to improve recruitment and retention, and have since staunchly defended the policy in the face of criticism from elsewhere.

None were louder than the Conservatives, whose leader Heather Williams disagreed about the claimed savings and said her party's analysis showed it cost the council an extra £270,000 on staffing costs and £244,000 extra on equipment.

However, Williams is now one of only two Tories left on the council, as the Liberal Democrats swept 43 of the 45 available seats.

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