Reform UK take control of Lancashire County Council

Stephen Atkinson defected from the Conservatives to Reform UK

Reform UK has taken control of Lancashire County Council after winning more than the 43 seats it needed to form a majority in the local elections.

The party - which went into the poll with just two councillors - took 53 of the 84 seats on the new authority as counting continues.

Its sweep to victory saw it take the seats of the leaders of both the Conservative and Labour groups.

Conservative council leader Philippa Williamson lost her seat to Reform's Graham Dalton by 29 votes, and Labour leader Matthew Tomlinson had his seat taken off him by Hannah Whalley by 440 votes.

Reform UK said it would be putting more money into roads if the "budget balances"

Tomlinson, who had represented the Leyland Central division, said: "The people voted for change last year and they're not seeing the change they wanted. It's now time for the government to stand up."

Stephen Atkinson, who was leader of Ribble Valley Council before defecting from the Conservatives to Reform UK, was elected to the county council to represent Ribble Valley South West with 2,174 votes.

He said he felt "fantastic" at the result which was "a great honour".

He said priorities would include work on the county's roads.

"We have said if the budget balances we will be putting £31m [extra] into the road[s] next year and the year after to make the roads fit for purpose," he said.

"The second thing we're going to do is a referendum, if we're allowed to by the government, on the future of Lancashire.

"Council tax is the biggest bill that residents pay, they should decide if they want to keep it as it is or if they want to change it."

The Conservatives had previously held the council with 46 seats since 2017 having won the election then and again in 2021.

The final results announced were:

Reform UK - 53

Conservative - 8

Independent - 7

Labour – 5

Liberal Democrat - 5

Green Party - 4

Our West Lancashire - 2