The Labour Party has won a seat on North Somerset Council in North Worle for the first time following a by-election last night (Thursday).
A seat opened up on both North Somerset and Weston Town Council following the death of Cllr Derek Mead in June.
Denise Hunt has been elected for both councils, beating the Conservative candidate into second on both occasions.
Labour’s win follows a successful General Election, in which the party’s candidate Tim Taylor nearly doubled his vote tally from 2015.
The North Worle seats were held by the Conservatives and Cllr Mead of North Somerset First after the 2015 election.
But the Conservatives won all of the available seats in previous elections in 2011 and 2007.
Before that, the Liberal Democrats held the North Worle seats in 2003 and 1999 – the first time it was contested.
For the district council, Ms Hunt took 589 votes to James Davis’ (Cons) 525.
Liberal Democrat Alan Rice won 265 votes, independent Richard Skinner took 132 and Anita Spencer-Johns from UKIP received 108 votes.
On the town council, Ms Hunt received 628 votes, Marcia Pepperall (Cons) had 621 and Lewis Treloar (Lib Dems) received 345.
* More reaction to follow.
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