Exeter election results: Labour retains control of authority

Labour campaigners celebrate the party retaining control of Exeter City Council

Labour is still in control of Exeter City Council after a night of shifting fortunes in the local elections.

Labour lost some seats but gained and retained enough others to keep its majority.

The Green Party gained a seat to consolidate its position as the second party in Exeter.

One of the Labour losses was to an independent candidate standing against the city's controversial low traffic neighbourhood scheme.

Labour ended the night with 24 seats, an increase of one.

The Greens now have seven seats, the Liberal Democrats four, the Conservatives three and the Independent Group one.

Phil Bialyk, Labour leader, who held his seat in Exwick, said: "I'm very happy, very happy indeed. We've maintained a majority.

"They've voted for the political adults in the room and I really respect what they've done."

Labour gained a seat in Topsham and took two seats in Pinhoe and St Thomas which were won by Labour candidates at the last election who became Independents during their term of office.

Jack Vickers stood unsuccessfully as the Green Party candidate for Pennsylvania

The Green Party took Newtown and St Leonard's from Labour.

The Green leader, Diana Moore, said: "It's really good news and it's good news for the city.

"It's sending a really important message to Labour that in the city centre we need to do better.

"We need to think really carefully about what we're doing for our communities that live in the city centre."

'Disappointed'

Conservative group leader Anne Jobson retained her seat in St Loye's but her party lost a seat in Topsham to Labour.

She said: "I'm clearly disappointed we didn't get over the line in Topsham and that we couldn't take Heavitree.

"I'm obviously thrilled with my own result. We need to sit down and look at the statistical balance sheet and see what we can learn."

Lucy Haigh (left) celebrates winning her seat as an Independent candidate

Lucy Haigh was the only member of the eight-strong newly-formed Independent Group to win a seat.

Campaigning against the highly controversial low traffic neighbourhood scheme, she took the Heavitree seat from Labour.

She said: "I became an Independent because I could see what was happening in our community and the division caused by the low traffic neighbourhood.

"I was concerned the community wasn't being represented as it needed to be and so I have stood to give a voice to my community."

'Exciting candidate'

The Liberal Democrats took the Duryard and St James seat from Labour and will keep working in a Progressive Group with the Greens in opposition.

Group leader Michael Mitchell said: "It's been a good night for us. We've defeated Labour well with a new exciting candidate who will make an impact on the city council quite quickly.

"In other wards our vote has held up but our partners the Greens have also made gains in the city and we're now a stronger opposition to Labour."