The Greens have won the 31 seats needed for a majority as Labour trail behind on 15
The election count has begun at Waltham Forest Assembly Hall, with most results expected by 6pm.
Voters selected between 291 candidates yesterday (7th May) with all 60 council seats up for election.
Labour is seeking to hold its majority at the town hall but the party faces a serious threat from the Greens in Walthamstow, Leyton and Leytonstone, while Reform may pick up several seats from the Conservatives in Chingford.
Other parties contesting in this election include the Liberal Democrats, who perform best in southern wards, the TUSC, Your Party, the Waltham Forest Independent Socialists. There are also a number of independents who are standing.
BREAKING: GREENS WIN MAJORITY CONTROL
The Greens have won 31 seats, picking up a further two seats in Higham Hill, with Labour retaining one.
Noreen AKRAMLocal Conservatives215Shumon ALI-RAHMANLabour & Co-operative Party1,221Louise ASHCROFTGreen Party1,486 ElectedKaren BELLAMYLabour & Co-operative Party1,305 ElectedCyril Thomas CUSACKReform UK337Em DEANGreen Party1,251 ElectedAmber ELLMORE-PAYNEReform UK325Mary Rosamund FINCHTrade Unionist & Socialist Coalition74Marco HACONGreen Party1,148Atjaz Ul Hussan HUMAYUNLocal Conservatives144Alan Edward JONESLiberal Democrats376Yousaff KHANLocal Conservatives143Kira Millana LEWISLabour & Co-operative1,170Alex MARSHALL-LEWISLiberal Democrats382Kath POLLARDLiberal Democrats341
5.30pm – Greens win three more councillors in Chapel End, putting them two shy of majority control
Zainab AKRAMLocal Conservatives255Marcello BOLJEVICReform UK349Mike CLEVERLEYTrade Unionist & Socialist Coalition94Paul DOUGLASLabour & Co-operative Party1,562Luke Antony GLAZZARDGreen Party1,744 ElectedJoe Lloyd HIGGSLiberal Democrats302Muhammad Amjad INAMLocal Conservatives205Samina MAQSOOMLocal Conservatives212Louise MITCHELLLabour & Co-operative Party1,668Ipek Naciye OZERIMLiberal Democrats158Layla Louise ROSAGreen Party1,808 ElectedDino SCHREUDERLiberal Democrats155Steve TERRYLabour & Co-operative Party1,407Sue WHEATGreen Party1,784 Elected
5.15pm – Greens win in St James
Amna ASIM Local Conservatives212David BERRIEGreen Party2,169 ElectedNathan Neil BURNSLabour & Co-operative Party1,515Catherine Diana DEAKINLabour & Co-operative Party1,766Martin EDOBORGreen Party2,144 ElectedJo HULSTROMReform UK227Anna Rose KERRGreen Party2,194 ElectedNick MARTLEWLiberal Democrats167Giuseppe MAUROLiberal Democrats123Shaikh Asim MUMTAZLocal Conservatives129Martin Stuart REYNOLDSTrade Unionist & Socialist Coalition66Caz SCOTTLabour & Co-operative Party1,536Anmol SEHERLocal Conservatives149
5.10pm- Reform lose out in Hatch Lane & Highams Park North, Tories snatch back three seats
Candidate nameDescription of candidateVotesShenise ADAMLocal Conservatives1,818 ElectedUmar ALILocal Conservatives1,693 ElectedDaniel BRETTLabour Party963Catherine BURNSLabour Party1,016Marion FITZGERALDReform UK679Rory Matthew FITZGERALDGreen Party1,062Heather GARDINERGreen Party1,144Tim JAMESReform UK648Andrew McMULLENGreen Party1,000Catherine MEARSReform UK599Sadia Iftikhar MIRZALiberal Democrats207Linda Susan TAAFFETrade Unionist and Socialist Coalition63Ollie WELCHLabour Party813Siobhan WINGLocal Conservatives1,698 Elected
5.10pm – Greens win Grove Green ward, and reach 23 councillors
Arran Paul ANGUSLiberal Democrats614Sarah BENTLEYGreen Party2,231 ElectedIona Shouna BERGLocal Conservatives141Frank BOATENGLocal Conservatives128David BOULTERReform UK211Minnie Hope CULLEN CLOSELabour Party1,281Fiona HAMILTONLiberal Democrats497Charlotte LAFFERTYGreen Party2,030 ElectedKhevyn LIMBAJEELabour Party1,242Naomi McCARTHYLiberal Democrats455Uzma RASOOLLabour Party1,155Malcolm SHYKLESReform UK186Mike SMITHLocal Conservatives141Robert Ivan THOMASTrade Unionist & Socialist Coalition46Paul TREACYGreen Party1,828 Elected
5pm – Greens win Cann Hall ward – and reach 20 councillors
Candidate nameDescription of candidateSally BURNELL (Liberal Democrats)219Kischa GREEN (Labour Party)1,323Attila GURBUZ (Liberal Democrats)141Tom HAINGE (Green Party)1,950Philip Denis HAWKER (Liberal Democrats)159Chris HILL-DAVIES (Conservatives)209Mike LANG (Conservatives)180Sally LITTLEJOHN (Labour Party)1,318Terry Leonard NOON (Reform UK)287Keith RAYNER (Labour Party)1,141Peter RICHARDSON (Green Party)1,900Ian SLATER (Conservatives)164Eva Aasma TABBASAM (Green Party)1,970Robin Kenneth WILLIAMS (Reform UK)283
4.45pm – Labour’s Clyde Loakes holds Leytonstone, Greens snatch two seats
Denise ALDER (Green Party)1,767Elizabeth Uju BINITIE (Liberal Democrats)222Rhiannon EGLIN (Independent)924Beverley GOLDIE (Conservatives)208Nick GOLDIE (Conservatives)203Jenny GRAY (Labour Party)1,508Oliver William John GREGORY (Liberal Democrats)180Rylan Phi-Long Allen HOLEY (Liberal Democrats)121Helen JOHNSON (Conservatives) 223Clyde LOAKES (Labour Party)1,815Marie PYE (Labour Party)1,463Stephen George ROUTLEDGE (Reform UK)279Jaison THOMAS (Reform UK)245RoseMary WARRINGTON (Green Party)1,707
4.40pm – Council leader Grace Williams and cabinet member Kizzy Gardiner hold seats for Labour in William Morris, Greens snatch one seat
Joseph Adegbola ALABA (Reform UK)242Hamza ALI (Conservatives)206Ben Aaron COPSEY (Green Party)1,847Kizzy Jane GARDINER (Labour & Co-operative Party)2,140James Nicholas GOODMAN (Liberal Democrats)223Gillian Joy HEMSTED (Conservatives)208Peter Ibrahim KANYIKE (Green Party)1,720Robyn PAGE (Green Party)1,786Kevin Graham PARSLOW (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)69Jack PHIPPS (Labour & Co-operative Party)1,803Geraldine Charla SELMOUR (Reform UK)234Patrick Charles SMITH (Liberal Democrats)160Grace WILLIAMS (Labour & Co-operative Party)2,089Dean Remy Martin WING (Conservatives)187
4.25pm – Greens win further full slate – picking up Leyton from Labour
The Greens now have 14 councillors. Full results below.
Kathy BERG (Conservatives)194Luke BERG (Conservatives)176Kyalo BURT-FULCHER (Labour Party)1,017Ed CLARKE (Conservatives)161Joe DYER (Liberal Democrats)263Rob GARDNER (Green Party)1,799Imran HUSSAIN (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)84Whitney IHENACHOR (Labour Party)930Muhsin MANIR (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)48Daisy RICHARDS (Green Party)1,822Lorenzo SALEMI (Reform UK)227Asim SHAHZAD (Liberal Democrats)256Trevor Robert STONE (Liberal Democrats)215Terry WHEELER (Labour Party)917Demetrius WILLIAMS (Green Party)1,657
4.15pm – Tories hold Chingford Green, Reform trail behind
Candidate nameDescription of candidateRehana Begum ALI-RAHMAN (Labour Party)536Mo ALLEN (Green Party)733Henry Arthur BOYLE (Liberal Democrats)208Francis Joseph BRAY (Reform UK)471Andrew Hugh CHIPPERFIELD (Liberal Democrats)124Matt DAVIS (Reform UK)483 Mitchell GOLDIE (Conservatives)2,696Kay ISA (Conservatives)2,458Kris JACK (Green Party)611Stephen Francis Greig JAMES (Liberal Democrats)111Kathryn JUDD (Green Party)615Stephen ROBERTS (Labour Party)514Jimmy SERGI (Labour Party)452Kelly SUMMERS (Conservatives)2,419Kimberley TONNER (Reform UK)437
4.10pm – Labour hold Upper Walthamstow
Yusuf Patel and Caramel Quin retain Upper Walthamstow for Labour with 1,162 and 1,290 votes respectively. The Greens came behind with its candidates Lyssa Barber and Rbeeza Mobeen getting 828 and 749 votes.
Lyssa BARBER (Green Party)828Md Abul Moufazzal BHUIYAN (Conservatives)164Samuel CLARK (Conservatives)222Lee HAWKSBEE (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)37 James Henry Alexander HOWE (Reform UK)221Rbeeza MOBEEN (Green Party)749Jane Elizabeth MORGAN (Liberal Democrats)137Yusuf PATEL (Labour & Co-operative Party)1,162Caramel QUIN (Labour & Co-operative Party)1,290Michaela STEELE (Reform UK)205
4pm – Greens secure three councillors in Forest ward
They now have eleven councillors.
Muhammad Abadat ALI (Reform UK)315Kastriot BERBERI (Labour Party)1,178 Marsela BERBERI (Labour Party)1,211Yuksel GONUL (Green Party)2,337Robert Andrew HARVEY (Trade Unionst & Socialist Coalition)233Fred HARRISON (Liberal Democrats)34Len HOCKEY (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)44Judy Karas HOUNSUN (Reform UK)304Asad ISHTIAQ (Reform UK)275Mamad JALLOH (Conservatives)139Colin MACE (Conservatives)203Zafran MALIK (Labour Party)1,201Simone McNICHOLS-THOMAS (Green Party)2,401Paul PERKINS (Green Party)2,332Jonathan Luke Jerningham SCHUTZ165Lauren SMITH186Maria TALAIA22Saif ULLAH142
3.50pm – Labour hold three councillors in Hoe Street
Raihaan AKHTAR (Conservatives)204Anup BANIK (Conservatives)213Andrew James DIXON (Labour & Co-operative)1,855Jean-Francois Marie Alfred DOR (Liberal Democrats)167 Jon GODDARD (Liberal Democrats)151Ricardo JOSEPH (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)69 Ijaz Miles KATO (Green Party)1,613 Ahsan KHAN (Labour & Co-operative Party)1,783 Md Shoeb KHAN (Your Party)108 Andrew KILLIN (Reform UK)260 Hannaan MALIK (Green Party)1,583 Miriam Rose MIRWITCH (Labour & Co-operative Party)1,840Adnin MOURIN (Conservatives)166Laura Anne PEARCE (Green Party)1,729 Ciara Mary SIMMONS (Liberal Democrats)182
3.40pm – Greens win three councillors in High Street (Walthamstow)
Idris AKRAM (Conservatives)128Amena AKTER (Conservatives)135Farah ANWAR (Reform UK)162Lisa Teresa BRYAN (Green Party)1,882Jeremy COHEN (Labour Party)1,262 John Patrick DONEGAN (Green Party)1,759Marcelo HART-CAMUS (Green Party)1,708 Nathan William Christian HOLLOW (Liberal Democrats)147 David HOOK (Reform UK)178 Samuel George MARTIN (Conservatives)135Osaro OTOBO (Labour Party)1,149 Graem PETERS (Liberal Democrats)108Zia REHMAN (Labour Party)1,182Nancy TAAFFE (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)54Anish Harish VITHLANI (Reform UK)135
3.20pm – Greens win full slate of three councillors, trouncing Labour in Lea Bridge
Three Green Party candidates won in Lea Bridge – trouncing Labour. Liz Biggs, Solene Fabios and Rosie Rowlands won with 2,433, 2,236, and 2,304 votes respectively.
The full results are below.
Harpreet BHAL (Liberal Democrats)169Liz BIGGS (Green Party)2,433Shabana DHEDHI (Labour Party)1,087Michael Alexander DICKENS (Reform UK)235Solène FABIOS (Green Party)2,326Hussain Ahmed FOYSAL (Conservatives)180Humayun IKRAM (Conservatives)163George MINNAH (Labour Party)950Rosie ROWLANDS (Green Party)2,304Ariba SHEIKH (Conservatives)140Jennifer WHILBY (Labour Party)948Jim WILLIAMS (Liberal Democrats)153
3.15pm – Greens and Labour split win in Markhouse ward
The Green Party has won its second councillor so far, with Chanté Syreena Johnson winning 1,170 votes in Markhouse. Incumbent Labour candidate Johar Khan won the most votes overall with 1,368.
Former Mayor of Waltham Forest Sharon Waldron lost her seat, coming third with 1,159 votes.
The full results are below with winners in bold.
Adeel AURANGZEB (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)38Ed BIRD (Liberal Democrats)126James ELLINGHAM (Reform UK)119Roger William HEMSTED (Conservatives)138Chanté Syreena JOHNSON (Green Party)1,170Johar KHAN (Labour Party)1,368Faraz REHMAN (Conservatives)108Sharon WALDRON (Labour Party)1,159Richard WILD (Green Party)1,100
3.05pm – Labour hold Hale End and Highams Park South
Labour’s Tony Bell and Rosalind Anne Doré held their seats in Hale End and Highams Park South with 1,384 votes and 1,365 votes respectively.
Candidate nameDescription of candidateRicardo William James ALLURED (Reform UK)398Tony BELL (Labour Party)1,384Brian Russell CAPALOFF (Green Party)741Louise Helen CUFFARO (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)35Rosalind Anne DORÉ (Labour Party)1,365 Mary-Jane FLORENTIN (Reform UK)407Jeremy Peter Simpson GEE (Liberal Democrats)152 Dan MEDLOCK (Conservatives)571 Hulya OZTURK (Independent)65Lukas SIMMA (Green Party)686Ruairidh VILLAR (Conservatives)458
3pm – Labour hold Wood Street
The Labour Party has held Wood Street, with candidates Stephanie Lynne Talbut winning 1,270 votes and Richard Charles Sweden getting 1,284 votes. Green Party candidate Charlie Loveday came a very close third with 1,248 votes.
Full results below – in alphabetical order.
Candidate nameDescription of candidateLorenc HOXHA Conservatives107Maqsoom HUSSAIN (Conservatives)117Gwilym JOHNSTON (Liberal Democrats)122Charlie Andrew LOVEDAY (Green Party)1,248Ellen KENYON PEERS (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition)35 Alex MUHUMUZA (Independent)279Samir RICHARDS (Green Party)1,143Richard Charles SWEDEN (Labour Party)1,284Stephanie Lynne TALBUT (Labour Party)1,270Douglas George WALKER (Reform UK)183Adrienne WALLACE (Trade Unionist & Socialist Coalition) 40Stewart Robert WARE (Reform UK)Reform UK 161
2.30pm – Tories hold onto Endlebury ward
The Conservatives have held onto Endlebury ward in the north of Chingford, with Roy Berg (Conservatives) gaining 1,709 votes and leader Emma Best getting 1,695 votes.
The full results are below.
Roy BERG (Conservatives)1,709Emma BEST (Conservatives)1,695Alison Dinah COX (Labour Party)410Lana DAVIS (Reform UK)390Mark Lawrence EBDEN (Labour Party)334Nigel Charles Spencer LEA (Liberal Democrats)114Loiza SITTON (Reform UK)333Jake SMITH (Green Party)513Monica Hannah SOBIECKI (Green Party)451
2pm
1.20pm – ‘Ecstatic’ Greens win first councillor in Cathall, Labour cabinet member loses seat
Cathall candidates on the stage, Credit: Penny Dampier
Labour’s candidate Aisha Abubakar held a seat for Labour in Cathall ward, with the Green Party unseating Labour cabinet member Naheed Asghar and claiming their first ever council seat in Waltham Forest.
Rachel Susan Barrat for the Greens won the most votes, with 872 on a turnout of 31.63% – one of the lower turnouts in the borough reported so far.
Aisha Abubakar won 832 votes, and Naheed Asghar came third with 785 votes. Green Party candidate Thomas-Hugh Macinnes came a close fourth with 728, thus also missing out on a seat in the two member ward.
Liz Biggs, Green Party candidate for Lea Bridge told the Echo she was “ecstatic” with the result, adding: “Rachel is going to be an incredible councillor for us.”
The full results for Cathall ward are as follows (winners in bold):
Aisha ABUBAKAR (Labour)832 Shaukat ALI (Independent)80Naheed ASGHAR (Labour)785Rachel Susan BARRAT (Green Party)872Susan CATTEN (Waltham Forest Independent Socialists)144Robert Graham COCKING (Liberal Democrats)122Vincent JOHN (Conservatives)132Thomas Hugh MACINNES (Green Party)728Nicola McGREGOR (Liberal Democrats)118Rita MOORE (Conservatives)125Connor ROSOMAN (Waltham Forest Independent Socialists)123Carol VICKERY (Reform UK)181
12.50pm – Surprise at high turnout of 42%
The turnout for this local election is 42.08%, Waltham Forest Council has confirmed. The borough wards with exceptionally high voter turnout are Chingford Green with 51.4% and Hale End & Highams Park South with 47.7%.
Other wards with above average turnout include Wood Street with 46%, St James with 45.8%, and Endlebury with 46.5%.
Waltham Forest Council CEO Linzi Roberts-Egan previously apologised for stating incorrect turnout figures for Hoe Street and William Morris wards because postal votes were not included.
The correct figures are 41.4% (Hoe Street) and 44.7% (William Morris) and not 35.5% and 39% as previously stated.
12.30pm – Source: Greens doing ‘extremely well’ in Walthamstow
A source with access to the counting floor has told the Echo that several Walthamstow wards appear to be seeing a “flood” of Green votes, with Labour apparently falling behind.
While it is too early to confidently speak with any certainty, the source stated Lea Bridge, High Street, Hoe Street, Wood Street, Upper Walthamstow, and St James wards were all looking very positive for the Green Party.
12pm – Conservatives ‘confident’ they will maintain their seats in Chingford
Waltham Forest Conservative leader Emma Best
As the counting continues inside Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Waltham Forest Tory leader Emma Best told the Echo she was “certain” she would be keeping her Endlebury seat in North Chingford, where turnout was a strong 46.5%.
The Conservatives are seeking to hold their ten seats and remain as the main opposition.
She said: “We had a really strong campaign, and we can see that from the amount of voters that we’ve turned out.
“We’re really happy with the way things have gone in Endlebury, and I’m very confident at this point that I’ll be returning to the town hall. I’m very confident that we’ll be returning with a strong opposition to hold the council to account, whether that’s a Labour minority or a Green minority council or a Green majority. We know that we will still be the sensible voice for Waltham Forest as an opposition to this council.”
Asked about how Reform were faring in the borough, she said: “They will certainly take some votes, but they’re taking votes from both Labour and the Conservatives in a protest; that’s something that’s come across on the doors.”
Would the Tories work with Reform in opposition though? “We’ll work with anyone that delivers for our residents. And so I think when it comes to local council delivery, a lot of these issues are not ideological. When you look at things like delivering big black bins for people or returning free parking to a high street, these are not ideological issues. We’ll work for anyone that delivers those to our residents.”
This page will be updated throughout the day with live results, interviews and reaction so please keep refreshing the page.
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