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Reform UK win by-election after councillor resigns

Julia ArmstrongLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageReform UK Hesketh and Jakeman standing outdoors in front of a brick building and shaking hands. Both are dressed in formal business attire, wearing long-sleeved shirts and ties. Hesketh on the left is wearing a light blue shirt with a striped tie, while Jakeman on the right is wearing a light-coloured shirt with a pale patterned tie and dark trousers. Behind the two is a large white sign with bold black lettering that reads “POLLING STATION”. The sign is positioned in front of a neatly trimmed hedge.Reform UK
Reform group leader John Hesketh (left) says Paul Jakeman (right) is "a welcome addition" to the team

Reform UK has won a council by-election in Sheffield by 297 votes.

The party's Paul Jakeman won with 1,133 votes to Labour candidate Jayne Dunn's 836 at the Southey ward by-election on Thursday, which took place after the resignation of independent councillor Gareth Slater in July.

In a statement issued on Friday, Jakeman said: "This was a victory for Reform's commonsense policies on housing, public transport, the state of Sheffield's roads and how the council is managed."

Speaking after the results were announced, council and Labour leader Fran Belbin said she was pleased that her party was closing the gap on Reform in the ward and had "good hopes for the future".

Dunn was first elected to Broomhill ward in 2012 and had represented Southey since 2016, the Local Democracy Service reports.

Reform's Yvonne Sykes unseated her at the council elections in May, winning with 2,157 votes.

News imageLDRS Five people standing side by side at the election count. On the left side of the image, Jakeman is wearing a light grey waistcoat over a white shirt with a brown tie. A blue-and-white rosette is pinned to the waistcoat. He has his hands together in front of him. Next to him stands another individual wearing glasses, a brown T-shirt with a small circular badge, and light-coloured trousers. Their hands are also held together in front of them. At the centre-right of the image, a person with light-coloured hair and glasses stands behind a wooden lectern, holding a microphone. The person is wearing a dark blazer over a patterned black-and-white outfit and appears to be addressing the room.LDRS
Jakeman won Thursday's by-election by 297 votes

Belbin said: "Obviously, I would have loved to have Jane back on the council because she was a fantastic councillor and a really great candidate in these elections.

"But Reform had a majority of 1,000 in May. We've slashed that majority to less than 300 this time round."

Jakeman stood for Dore and Totley ward in May. He came second out of six candidates as Liberal Democrats group leader Martin Smith retained his seat.

Reform won 12 seats in May, bringing their group total up to 13. Since then, their number has dropped by three to 10 because of resignations or suspensions.

Labour now has 25 members, the Liberal Democrats have 22, the Green Party has 20, Reform UK 11, Sheffield Community Councillors two and Independents four.

The council remains under no overall control with Labour and the Greens in a shared administration.

Reform group leader John Hesketh said Jakeman was "a welcome addition" to the team, adding: "He will fit in well with Reform's wish to hold the current Labour and Green Party town hall leadership to account."

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