The Conservative party lost one seat to the Liberal Democrats, but maintained their majority on the council.
Background
History
The thirty-two London boroughs were established in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. They are the principal authorities in Greater London and have responsibilities including education, housing, planning, highways, social services, libraries, recreation, waste, environmental health and revenue collection. Some of the powers are shared with the Greater London Authority, which also manages passenger transport, police, and fire.[1]
Kensington and Chelsea has been under Conservative control since its establishment. In the most recent election in 2018, the Conservatives won 36 seats with 51.4% of the vote across the borough; Labour won 13 seats with 33.0% of the vote and the Liberal Democrats won a single seat with 12.4% of the vote.[2] The council had been a target for the Labour Party, who had been expected to perform better following the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire.[2]
Council term
A Labour councillor for Dalgarno ward, Robert Thomson, resigned in early 2019 because his job required him to relocate. A by-election was held to fill his seat on 21 March 2019, which was won by the Labour candidate Kasim Ali with the Conservatives coming in second place.[3]
Unlike most London boroughs, Kensington and Chelsea continued with the same ward boundaries it elected councillors under in 2018 as it had been subject to a recent boundary review.
Electoral process
Kensington and Chelsea, as with all other London borough councils, elects all of its councillors at once every four years, with the previous election having taken place in 2018. The election took place by multi-member plurality block voting, with each ward being represented by two or three councillors. Electors had as many votes as there are councillors to be elected in their ward, with the top two or three being elected.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in London aged 18 or over were entitled to vote in the election. People who lived at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, were entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities.[4] Voting in-person at polling stations took place from 7:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters were able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.[4]
Previous council composition
Councillors after the 2018 election
After 2018 election
Before 2022 election
Party
Seats
Party
Seats
Conservative
36
Conservative
35
Labour
13
Labour
13
Liberal Democrats
1
Liberal Democrats
2
Overall Results
Kensington and Chelsea London Borough Council election[5]
The Norland by-election was triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Stuart Graham.
References
^"The essential guide to London local government | London Councils". www.londoncouncils.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
^ ab"Tories keep hold of Kensington and Chelsea council despite public outrage over Grenfell Tower tragedy". The Independent. 4 May 2018. Archived from the original on 12 May 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
^Gregory, Julia (22 March 2019). "Former advisor to Somalian president takes Labour seat in Kensington". MyLondon. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
^ ab"How the elections work | London Councils". www.londoncouncils.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
^"Local council elections 2018 - Results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea".
^"Abingdon ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Brompton and Hans Town ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Campden ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Chelsea Riverside ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Colville ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Courtfield ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Dalgarno ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Earl's Court ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Golborne ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Holland ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Norland ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Notting Dale ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Pembridge ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Queen's Gate ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Redcliffe ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Royal Hospital ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"St Helen's ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Stanley ward results | Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea". www.rbkc.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^"Election results for Norland". Kensington and Chelsea Council. Retrieved 4 May 2024.