Is another political shift on the cards?

CANDIDATES REVEALED FOR BROXTOWE BY-ELECTION SEAT

- By LAURA MONAGHAN Local Democracy Reporter

BROXTOWE Borough Council's structure has already undergone political change in recent years but now an upcoming by-election calls into question a strong Conservative grip or the rise of new groups.

The Borough Council has a seat up for grabs in its Nuthall East and Strelley ward after Conservative councillor Graham Hills resigned in July triggering a by-election that will take place next Thursday.

The council confirmed Mr Hills' resignation but could not confirm the reason for resignation to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Conservative, Labour, Green, Broxtowe Alliance, Independent and Reform UK candidates are all running for the post.

The Conservative influence within the ward has been strong over the past 14 years, with two Conservative councillors elected for the area in the previous four full council elections dating back to 2011. But political swings have been apparent in the borough, with Labour taking full control for the first time since 2003 in the borough's 2023 full council election.

Between the 2019 and 2023 elections it had been run under a coalition agreement between Labour and the Lib Dems and the 2015 election saw the Conservatives in control.

A further political shift happened within the authority this yearm when 20 Labour councillors quit the party and forming their own independent group - now known as Broxtowe Alliance - on January 2.

This was in protest of policies under Keir Starmer's government, such as cutting the winter fuel allowance for some pensioners, and meant Labour lost control of the council.

Now, the current composition of the authority is 19 Broxtowe Alliance councillors, nine Conservatives, seven Labour councillors, five under the Broxtowe Independent Group and three Lib Dems.