THE Conservatives hold a two seat majority on Thurrock Council following the declaration of the 16 seats contested in the local elections, held yesterday (Thursday, 4 May).
They ended a very difficult evening with 26 seats, hanging on to the majority and just avoiding a final shock on a tough evening when the last vote of the count was declared, deputy leader Deborah Arnold holding on to Corringham and Fobbing by ten votes from independent candidate John Fox.
Had he won, and fellow non-aligned candidate Craig Austin grabbed three dozen more votes in an earlier result, there would have been an independent cohort of six councillors. Still not enough to deprive the Tories of overall control but they would have been on an uncomfortable knife edge.
For a full report and reaction go to Thurrock Nub News.
Ward-by-ward
Aveley and Uplands
Jacqui Maney (Conservative) 928
Cathy Sisterson (Labour) 834
Majority 94
Belhus
Abbie Akinbohun (Conservative) 433
Chris Baker* (Thurrock Independents) 299
Mark Hurrell (Labour) 765
Michael Keal (UKIP) 79
Majority 332
Chadwell St Mary
Daniel Chukwu* (Labour) 1256
Sophie Corcoran (Conservative) 462
Majority 794
Turnout 23.79
Chafford & North Stifford
Mark Coxshall* (Conservative) 639
Vikki Hartstean (Labour) 741
Sue Truman (Reform UK) 129
Majority 102
Turnout 27.13%
Corringham & Fobbing
Ngozi Alike (Labour) 324
Deborah Arnold* (Conservative) 555
John Fox (Thurrock Independents) 545
Majority 10
Turnout 32.50%
East Tilbury
Alastair Craft (Labour) 245
Fraser Massey* (Independent) 980
Daryle Palmer (Conservative) 83
Majority 735
Turnout 25.22%
Grays Riverside
Emily Folorunsho (Conservative) 386
Valarie Morris-Cook (Labour) 1191
Majority 805
Turnout 19.38
Grays Thurrock
Elizabeth Alo (Conservative) 343
Rev Roy Grayson (Reform UK) 183
Catherine Kent* (Labour) 1151
Majority 808
Turnout 25.45%
Little Thurrock Rectory
Russell Cherry (Thurrock Independents) 332
Tom Kelly* (Conservative) 580
Enayet Hussain (Labour) 550
Majority 30
Turnout 32.32%
Ockendon
Ross Byrne (Thurrock Independents) 248
Andrew Jefferies* (Conservative) 1,014
Gary Watson (Labour) 839
Majority 175
Turnout 25.32%
Stanford East & Corringham Town
John Cecil (Labour) 667
Roy Jones (Independent) 559
Shane Ralph* (Conservative) 568
Majority 99
Turnout 28.59%
Stanford-le-Hope West
Shane Hebb* (Conservative) 511
Phillip Smith (Labour) 532
Neil Speight (Independent) 643
Majority 111
Turnout 30.54%
Stifford Clays
Jack Beauchamp-Stansfield (Green Party) 64
Gavin Holland (Conservative) 476
Mark Hooper (Labour) 610
Jennifer Smith* (Thurrock Independents) 340
Majority 134
Turnout 29.92%
The Homesteads
Tony Benson (Labour) 544
Gary Byrne* (Independent Group) 942
Shamim Miah (Conservative) 603
Bill Poskitt (Reform UK) 124
Majority 339
Turnout 34.96%
Tilbury Riverside & Thurrock Park
Craig Austin (Independent) 451
Cici Manwa (Labour) 486
Allen Mayes* (Conservative) 144
Majority 35
Turnout 22.44%
West Thurrock & South Stifford
Aaron Green (Labour) 1098
Tunde Ojetola (Conservative) 765
Majority 333
Turnout 21.24%
*Incumbent councillor.
