The local elections held in Watford were largely uneventful with no seats across the town changing hands.
The Liberal Democrats have maintained their control of Watford Borough Council after the results of the May 2021 elections were announced at Watford Colosseum on Saturday.
In total, 13 seats were up for election across the town’s 12 wards, and electors very much kept faith with their respective parties.
The Lib Dems successfully defended their eight seats – and a ninth after a by-election in Nascot. Six of the nine Lib Dems elected yesterday are brand new additions to the council.
Watford mayor Peter Taylor said after the results were announced: "This result is an endorsement of the Lib Dem record in Watford. By delivering a caring, green, well-run council, Liberal Democrats are working hard to make our town even better.
"I’m delighted that a team of hardworking, caring and diverse team of local champions has been elected to serve the people of Watford. I would like to congratulate all our new councillors, everyone who made the election possible this year in Watford and especially the people of Watford for their support."
Celebrating holding every @WatfordLibDems seat on the borough and county council. Thank you to everyone who backed our hardworking team. pic.twitter.com/hGSU8jgdBn
— Peter Taylor (@WatfordMayor) May 8, 2021
Watford Labour retained their four seats up for grabs on the borough council, including a closely fought battle in Callowland ward.
Callowland is the only ward in Watford where there is representation from more than one party, and Labour were defending the third seat.
Dennis Watling was able to ensure Labour have a majority over the Lib Dems in Callowland, but Lib Dem candidate Joe Inniss polled just ten votes less than Mr Watling’s 934.
He tweeted that he was "ecstatic" to win the race, while his colleague Asif Khan described it as an "excellent" victory.
Really pleased to retain our County Council seats with an increased vote in North Watford
— CllrAsifK (@AKatWatford) May 8, 2021
Excellent result in Callowland where we overturned a 300 majority to win with @Den4Callowland
Fabulous win for @sarajanetrebar in Vicarage
Great to see @Richard_Smith1 retain Leggatts seat pic.twitter.com/od9qUqPfca
The Conservatives once again failed to pick up a single seat on the borough council but county council candidate Abbas Merali said he was "delighted" by his party's "exceptional" vote share increase in West Watford, which saw them overtake the Lib Dems.
Overall, there are no changes to report in any of Watford’s six Hertfordshire County Council divisions.
The Lib Dems defended their four seats in Central Watford & Oxhey, Meriden Tudor, Nascot, and Stanborough & Woodside, while Labour kept control of North Watford and West Watford.
Hertfordshire County Council remains in the control of the Conservatives but the Tory party have suffered the shock loss of their leader David Williams, who was beaten by the Lib Dems for his Harpenden North East seat.
See more: Conservative Hertfordshire County Council leader loses Harpenden seat
Full list of Watford Borough Council results
Callowland
Joe Inniss - Liberal Democrats - 924
Mary Sackett - Conservative - 355
Dennis Watling - Labour - 934
Turnout: 38.16 per cent
Central
Sophia Demetriou Jones - Labour - 680
Marilyn Devonish - Liberal Democrats - 915
Cole Parker - Conservative - 319
Dennis Wharton - Independent - 140
Turnout: 30.85 per cent
Holywell
Nigel Bell - Labour - 1,272
Ian Fox - Conservative - 436
Simonie Jeffree - Liberal Democrats - 274
Mark O’Connor - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts - 54
Turnout: 30.82 per cent
Leggatts
Shafiq Ahmed - Liberal Democrats - 765
Derek Foster - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts - 40
Anthony Parker - Conservatives - 565
Richard Smith - Labour - 819
Turnout: 37.86 per cent
Meriden
Prashanth Elangovan - Conservative - 519
Pete Hannon - Liberal Democrats - 690
Felix Tyszkiewicz - Labour - 395
Turnout: 28.04 per cent
Nascot (2 seats filled)
Sarah Flynn - Labour - 471
Ravi Kura - Conservative - 655
Binita Mehta-Parmar - Conservative - 786
Tom Osborn - Liberal Democrats - 1,179
Edward Tunnah - Labour - 364
Mark Watkin - Liberal Democrats - 1,275
Turnout: 41.01 per cent
Oxhey
Karen Clarke-Taylor - Liberal Democrats - 1,316
Joseph Gornicki - Conservative - 494
Sue Sleeman - Labour - 339
Neal Webber - Reform UK - 42
Turnout: 40.80 per cent
Park
Nabila Ahmed - Labour - 412
Peter Jeffree - Liberal Democrats - 1,472
Linda Topping - Conservative - 902
Turnout: 43.41 per cent
Stanborough
Nevin Atasoy - Labour - 312
Simon Feldman - Liberal Democrats - 956
Peter Williams - Conservative - 673
Turnout: 34.07 per cent
Tudor
Carly Bishop - Conservative - 576
Darren Walford - Liberal Democrats - 938
Seamus Williams - Labour - 418
Turnout: 36.97 per cent
Vicarage
Abbas Merali - Conservative - 551
Dan Thurlow - Liberal Democrats - 592
Sara Jane Trebar - Labour - 1,061
Turnout: 37.67 per cent
Woodside
Malcolm Bush - Labour - 391
Amarish Patel - Conservative - 481
Ann Saffery - Liberal Democrats - 807
Turnout: 29.15 per cent
Full Hertfordshire County Council results - Watford division
Central Watford & Oxhey
Sophia Demetriou-Jones - Labour - 1,020
Stephen Giles-Medhurst - Liberal Democrats - 2,130
Joseph Gornicki - Conservative - 848
Mark Rutherford - Green Party - 297
Neal Webber - Reform UK - 67
Turnout: 34 per cent
Meriden Tudor
Stephen Cavinder - Liberal Democrats - 1,433
Prashanth Elangovan - Conservative - 1,145
Seamus Williams - Labour - 916
Turnout: 33 per cent
Nascot Park
Nabila Ahmed - Labour - 841
Linda Topping - Conservative - 1,800
Mark Watkin - Liberal Democrats - 2,733
Turnout: 42 per cent
North Watford
Dawn Allen-Williamson - Liberal Democrats - 1,388
Derek Foster - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against the Cuts - 66
Catherine Grinsted - Green Party - 218
Asif Khan - Labour - 1,814
Sarah Knott - Heritage Party - 60
Anthony Parker - Conservative - 935
Turnout: 38 per cent
West Watford
Nigel Bell - Labour - 2,399
Abbas Merali - Conservative - 1,089
Mark O'Connor - Trade Unionists and Socialists Against the Cuts -116
Jennifer Pattinson - Liberal Democrats - 746
Turnout: 34 per cent
Woodside Stanborough
Nevin Atasoy - Labour - 642
Peter Williams - Conservative - 1,078
Tim Williams - Liberal Democrats - 1,721
Turnout: 31 per cent
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