Election results 2022: Hartlepool Conservative and independent coalition remains

Thirteen of Hartlepool's 36 seats were up for grabs

A coalition will remain in control of Hartlepool Council after no one party made major gains in the election.

Thirteen of the council's 36 seats were up, with Labour holding six, losing one and gaining one, and the Conservatives holding two and adding two.

Nineteen seats were needed for an overall majority, with the Conservatives now holding 15, Labour 11 and independents 10.

Independent council leader Shane Moore retained his Headland and Harbour seat.

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The council was controlled by a coalition between the Conservatives, Independent Union and other independents.

The authority will hold its annual general meeting later in May where it will be confirmed who takes up key roles on the council, including leader, deputy leader and ceremonial mayor.

Mr Moore told BBC Radio Tees he hoped to stay on as leader for the "coming year", but added: "Going past that I'll need to speak to my wife because she may have some other ideas."

The results for Hartlepool were declared overnight

Ray Martin-Wells, the Conservative branch president in Hartlepool, said he was "absolutely elated" and their 15 seats made them "by far the largest party on Hartlepool council".

Labour group leader Brenda Harrison said the party was improving in the town.

She said: "We've had a very rocky few years but the Labour group that is now is a very different group. We are working very much together."

Analysis: Decent results for both Labour and Conservatives

By David MacMillan, BBC Radio Tees political correspondent

This time last year we were waking up to the news that Conservatives had won the Hartlepool by-election, their first MP in the town since the 1960s.

Today it's rather less dramatic as the local authority remains in no overall control.

The Conservatives though have strengthened their place - with 15 of the council's 36 seats - while Labour went into the election with 11 seats and came out with 11.

We had the strange sight of Conservative candidates effectively pleading with voters not to punish them for the shenanigans going on in Downing Street and it seems their pleas have been heard.

One of the senses from last year's by-election campaign was that much of the stuff making national headlines - back then it was rows over Downing Street redecorations rather than parties - wasn't having a big impact with voters in the town.

The fact the Conservatives have held and gained seats suggests that's still true.

Labour went into the election defending seven of the 13 seats being contested so it was always unlikely they would make significant gains. But, given the drubbing they got in the by-election last year, stability may be seen as a decent result.

The turnout was 28.16%, Hartlepool Council said.

In the Fens and Greatham ward, Conservative Bob Buchan won the seat from Labour's Jennifer Elliott by 44 votes.

The pair had been previously been involved in a legal fight after Mr Buchan said false claims made by Labour in their election leaflet lost him the May 2021 election.

Mr Buchan lost his case and was ordered to pay £48,000 in legal fees.