Council by-elections

Getting back on track with reporting council by-elections after a short break. The three yesterday saw two good Labour performances in the south (Oxford and Michael Gove’s Surrey Heath constituency) and a UKIP gain in Folkestone, one of their prime Kent parliamentary targets:

Carfax Ward, Oxford CC. Lab hold. Lab 168 (44.2%, +15.6), LD 101 (26.6%, +9), Green 63 (16.6%, -14.2), Con 24 (6.3%, -13.8), UKIP 24 (6.3%, +6.3). Swing of 3.3% from LD to Lab since May this year.

Folkestone Harvey Central Ward, Shepway DC. UKIP gain from Con. UKIP 287 (27.9%, +27.9), Con 224 (21.7%, -17.3), LD 198 (19.2%, +2.3), Lab 196 (19%, -9.1), Green 96 (9.3%, +9.3), TUSC 29% (2.8%, +2.8). Swing of 22.6% from Con to UKIP since 2011.

Old Dean Ward, Surrey Heath DC. Lab hold. Lab 290 (44.6%, -5.6), Con 196 (29.8%, -0.5), UKIP 171 (26%, +14.3). Swing of 2.6% from Lab to Con since 2011.