Express & Star

Dudley local election results: Tories take UKIP seats in dramatic dead heat

It was a good night for the Conservatives in Dudley, who gained six seats and ended up tied with Labour with 35 each.

Published
Dudley Conservative leader Patrick Harley celebrates at the count at Crystal Leisure Centre

Tory leader Patrick Harley is highly likely to continue in control with the support of the two non-Labour councillors - independent Heather Rogers, who is a former Conservative, and Kerry Lewis, the only UKIP councillor left on a Black Country authority.

Full local election coverage:

One of the high-profile casualties was MEP and now former UKIP councillor Bill Etheridge, who lost the Sedgley ward by 498 votes to Conservative candidate and nightclub owner Shaun Keasey.

UKIP's Bill Etheridge lost his Sedgley seat to Conservative Shaun Keasey

Mr Etheridge said: "I have been honoured to serve Sedgley for the last four years. The result is an amazing one for Shaun - I think Shaun will be a great councillor.

"I want to say very clearly the people have spoken and I accept that. It is time for UKIP to think about its future and it is time for Gerard Batten the leader of UKIP to think about his future. It is time for us to start moving on."

After retaining his seat with a 1,294 majority, Councillor Harley said: "I am elated. We had six targets seats and six gains.

Jubilant Tory MPs Mike Wood and James Morris celebrate the result

“We were really defiant, we could really not afford to lose any seats – we had to make those six gains to ensure Labour didn’t take control.

“I am confident we will get the UKIP and Independent councillors on board. We have a great relationship with those two councillors and they have supported us over the last 12 months. I have no doubt that they will support us again."

On winning the Lye & Stourbridge North seat, Dudley Labour leader Pete Lowe said: "We are left with 35 Labour seats and 35 Conservative seats. The UKIP member will go on and very quickly join with the Conservative party.

"I congratulate Patrick Harley on his successful night.

Dudley Labour leader Pete Lowe speaks at the count

"There are Labour councillors who have fought so hard. Candidates who have fought an excellent campaign. We fight to live another day.

"The message to the people of Dudley is very clear - the Labour group will continue to fight for Dudley and in Dudley.

"I want to thank each and every resident who voted for me."

Jake Cooper, who won Belle Vale aged 18

The Conservatives gained one seat from Labour, with 18-year-old Jake Cooper winning Belle Vale from Labour’s Ian Cooper.

He said he plans to ‘stand up for younger people’ on the council.

Dudley Council results - ward by ward

  • What happened: The Conservatives gained six seats (five of them from UKIP)

  • Political make-up: No overall control (Cons – 35; Lab – 35; Indep – 1; UKIP – 1)

  • Turnout: 30.33 per cent

  • * Party previously holding seat

Amblecote (Cons hold)

Paul Bradley (Cons)* – 1,562

Barbara Deeley (UKIP) – 215

Peter Drake (Lab) – 895

Ian Flynn (Lib Dem) – 161

Belle Vale (Cons gain)

Ian Cooper (Lab)* – 1,534

Jake Cooper (Cons) – 1,669

Bill McComish (Green) – 156

Brierley Hill (Lab hold)

Phil Atkins (Cons) – 834

John Dyer (Democrats and Veterans) – 65

Gordon Elcock (Green) – 132

Zaraf Islam (Lab)* – 1,078

Terry Thorn (UKIP) – 218

Brockmoor and Pensnett (Lab hold)

Clare Bramall (Lib Dem) – 53

Rich Colley (UKIP) – 175

Judy Foster (Lab)* – 987

Sue Greenaway (Cons) – 940

Castle and Priory (Lab hold)

Martin Day (UKIP) – 250

Alan Finch (Lab)* – 1,654

Ryan Priest (Lib Dem) – 51

Richard Tasker (Cons) – 831

Coseley East (Lab gain)

Josef Baker (Cons) – 894

Bec Gentle (Lab) – 1,150

Karen Jones (UKIP) – 249

Catherine Maguire (Green) – 63

Cradley and Wollescote (Lab hold)

Pam Archer (Green) – 148

Mitchell Bolton (UKIP) – 487

Tim Crumpton (Lab)* – 1,425

Kamran Razzaq (Cons) – 704

Gornal (Cons gain)

Mitch Barlow (Green) – 66

Dave Branwood (Lab) – 1,047

Bryn Challenor (Cons) – 1,942

Roger Scott-Dow (UKIP)* – 270

Halesowen North (Cons gain)

Lois Bramall (Lib Dem) – 95

Stuart Henley (UKIP)* – 582

Joe Roberts (Cons) – 1,550

Parmjit Sahota (Lab) – 1,375

Halesowen South (Cons hold)

Ray Burston (Cons) – 2,321

Derek Campbell (Lib Dem) – 238

James Walker (Lab) – 945

Hayley Green & Cradley South (Cons hold)

Andrea Goddard (Cons)* – 1,843

Delesh Patel (UKIP) – 122

John Payne (Green) – 174

Donella Russell (Lab) – 875

Kingswinford North and Wall Heath (Cons hold)

Jonathan Bramall (Lib Dem) – 197

Damian Corfield (Lab) – 952

Edward Lawrence (Cons)* – 2,460

Kingswinford South (Cons hold)

Taryn Bradley (Green) – 187

Jay Griffiths (Lab) – 922

Patrick Harley (Cons)* – 2,216

Lye and Stourbridge North (Lab hold)

Naz Ahmed (Green) – 136

Euan Dunn (UKIP) – 229

Pete Lowe (Lab)* – 1,589

Thomas Ruff (Cons) – 985

Netherton, Woodside and St Andrew’s (Lab hold)

Martin Berrington (Cons) – 703

Dean Horton (UKIP) – 246

Elaine Taylor (Lab)* – 1,376

Alex Wright (Green) – 181

Norton (Cons hold)

Christopher Bramall (Lib Dem) – 400

Colin Elcock (Cons)* – 2,278

Monika Narad (Lab) – 865

David Powell (UKIP) – 145

Pedmore and Stourbridge East (Cons hold)

Jon Dean (Lab) – 897

Simon Hanson (Lib Dem) – 258

Angus Lees (Cons)* – 2,269

Glen Wilson (UKIP) – 167

Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood (Lab hold)

Chris Barnett (Lab)* – 1,053

Chris Blake (Cons) – 957

Lee Taylor (Lib Dem) – 54

Angela Walker (UKIP) – 277

Sedgley (Cons gain)

Bill Etheridge (UKIP)* – 498

Mushtaq Hussain (Lab) – 742

Shaun Keasey (Cons) – 1,936

Elaine Sheppard (Lib Dem) – 110

St James’s (Lab hold)

Khurshid Ahmed (Lab)* – 1,265

Malcolm Davis (Cons) – 990

Mick Forsyth (UKIP) – 244

Benjamin France (Lib Dem) – 90

St Thomas’s (Lab hold)

Jonathan Elliott (Cons) – 630

Francis Sheppard (Green) – 91

Steve Waltho (Lab)* – 2,121

Phil Wimlett (UKIP) – 215

Upper Gornal and Woodsetton (Cons gain)

Lynette Corfield (Lab) – 1,148

Chris Neale (Cons) – 1,180

Dean Perks (UKIP)* – 431

Kelly Richards (Green) – 79

Wollaston & Stourbridge Town (Cons hold)

Nicholas Barlow (Cons)* – 1,914

Harriet Foster (Lab)– 1,771

Andi Mohr (Green) – 268

Wordsley (Cons gain)

Kevin Billingham (Lab) – 947

Paul Brothwood (UKIP)* – 679

Donna Harley (Cons) – 1,463

David Sheppard (Lib Dem) – 102