Elections 2021: Tories win Northumberland after dead-heat ballots
Published
image captionThe counts were called out under social distancing rules with counters wearing face masks
The Conservatives have taken control of Northumberland after they won one seat by drawing lots because two candidates had exactly the same number of votes.
However Labour remains in power at other councils after losing two seats in Newcastle and four in South Tyneside, but none in Gateshead.
Labour still controls Sunderland but the leader called it a bad night after losses following 50 strong years.
Northumberland Council s new Tory leader said it had steady leadership.
Results for North Tyneside and Durham councils, as well for the North Tyneside mayor and Durham Police and Crime Commissioner are due over the weekend.
Updated
Surprises? You can say that again, Jeff, but also a sense of déjà vu.
The surprises come in various guises. The occasional, unexpected Labour gain for instance (notwithstanding their five loses to the Conservative Party).
Bywell’s newly-elected 25-year-old Labour councillor Holly Waddell narrowly snatched her seat from incumbent Conservative councillor Stephen John Westgarth, 981 to 924.
Kelly Angus, Northumberland s returning officer announces one of the results.
The Greens secured not only their first seat but their second on the same night. Martin Swinbank, newly elected Green Party councillor for Alnwick, replaces former councillor, now Tory MP, Robbie Moore.
Then the déjà vu set in, but curiously we did not know it at first.
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Age-limit proposals to reduce emissions from Northumberland’s taxis have been delayed, with councillors now calling for more work and consultation. The county council was originally proposing that from April 2020, new taxi licences would only be issued to cars which are less than four years old, meaning they would all meet the EURO 6 emissions standard. For existing vehicles, a maximum eight-year life would be adopted, with a start date of April 2023, while wheelchair-accessible vehicles would have an extra two years, meaning a compliance date of April 2025. All 12 local authorities in the North East had agreed to this plan, with the aim of introducing the new rules at the same time to ensure consistency across the region.
North of Tyne polticians hit back at Lord Heseltine claim that devolution deal is a joke
The North of Tyne mayor serves Newcastle, North Tyneside, and Northumberland – an arrangement slammed by the architect of the regional mayor policy last week
16:00, 11 FEB 2021
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North East politicians have hit back at claims that devolution in the region is a joke”.