LIVE: Kenilworth election results as they are announced - Reform now the biggest party

By James Smith 2nd May 2025

We are reporting live from the NAEC today! (Image by Nub News)
We are reporting live from the NAEC today! (Image by Nub News)

Today is the day - 57 councillors are set to be voted onto Warwickshire County Council (WCC) and big changes are expected at Shire Hall.

We will be reporting live throughout the day from NAEC Stoneleigh, where the Warwick district results will be announced from.

Other counts will take place around Warwickshire in Stratford-on-Avon, Rugby, Atherstone and Bedworth.

WCC seats FINAL total: Reform 23 / Liberal Democrats 14 / Conservative 9 / Green 7 / Labour 3 / Whitnash 1

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3.40pm

We are waiting for just three seats to be announced in Warwickshire - one here in Warwick district (Leamington Clarendon) and two in Stratford.

Reform have taken 23 seats so far, but will fall short of the 29 seats needed for an overall majority.

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2.38pm Big News from Stratford district!

Former council leader Izzi Seccombe has lost her seat in Stour and the Vale!

David Curtis has taken it for the Liberal Democrats

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2.25pm Result Announced!

Tracey Drew is re-elected for Kenilworth Park Hill - a Green hold.

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2.23pm Result Announced

Richard Dickson is elected for Kenilworth St John's as the Liberal Democrats.

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2pm Result Announced!

Mark Stevens has been elected for the Green party in Lapworth & West Kenilworth!

The Greens take the seat from the Conservatives.

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1.43pm Result Announced!

The first result for Warwick district has been announced and it comes with the news that Judy Falp has been re-elected in Whitnash for Whitnash Residents Association.

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1.25pm

An update from Stratford....

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1.11pm

Still no results in Warwick district, but Reform are making huge strides in the north of the county. They now have 17 seats.

Don't forget - 29 is the magic number to take control of the council.

The Conservatives have taken their first seat - in Hillmorton (Rugby). Meanwhile Labour have two, also both in Rugby.

The view of Warwickshire as things stand (Image via WCC)

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12.36pm

Reform have now taken eight seats in Warwickshire - all of them in the north of the county.

Ahead of today James Crocker, Reform UK's Stratford-on-Avon branch chair, said: "We will win seats, I am absolutely confident on that".

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12.20pm

Reform have taken their first seat of the day - in Atherstone, North Warwickshire

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12.16pm

Labour have taken the first seat of the day - but not here in Warwick district.

Sarah Feeney - Labour group leader - has kept her seat in Benn, Rugby.

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12.10pm

The turnout figures in full:

  • Kenilworth Park Hill 39%
  • Lapworth & West Kenilworth 37%
  • Kenilworth St John's 44%

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11.59pm

Verification (for all but one ward) is finished.

Turnout figures are being announced - figures between 30% and 40% for most wards.

Leamington Brunswick 26% is the lowest.

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11.15am

Some snaps from inside the count!

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11am

The Greens are already optimistic in Warwick district already. 

Group leader Jonathan Chilvers tells Nub News things look positive in Lapworth and West Kenilworth - as well as in other wards across the district.

That could be a gain from the Conservatives as the Greens look to double their seats.

Nothing confirmed yet!

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10.20am

The count has officially started! But we are not expecting our first result for a couple of hours at least!

Candidates and party members all now in the hall after a delay with security!

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9.18am 

What is certain today, is that there will be a huge number of new faces at Shire Hall come May 2.

More than a third of current county councillors will not be seeking re-election. 

This includes four members of the current cabinet.

Of the 41 Conservative councillors, 17 are not standing again.

Liberal Democrat stalwarts Bill Gifford (Leamington Milverton) and Jenny Fradgley (Stratford West) and Labour's Jackie D'Arcy (Warwick North) are the only members from opposition parties not standing. 

Read more here.

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8.24am

What are the seats to be watching today?

All eyes will be on current council leader Izzi Seccombe as she looks to be re-elected to WCC. Her ward - Stour & the Vale - in Stratford district is expected to be tightly contested.

Big changes are also expected in the north of the county where Reform UK have made a big effort, having come so close to taking a parliamentary seat at last year's general election.

Other local party leaders are also worth keeping an eye on, with Jonathan Chilvers (Green) in Leamington Brunswick, Jerry Roodhouse (Lib Dem) in Eastlands and Sarah Feeney (Labour) in Benn.

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6.30am

What colour were Kenilworth's wards before today?

Kenilworth is one of the few parts of Warwickshire to have a Green county councillors. Tracey Drew has been the ward member for Kenilworth Park Hill and is seeking re-election.

Rik Spencer (also standing again) has been the Tory councillors for St John's.

Meanwhile Lapworth & West Kenilworth will definitely see some level of change, with John Cooke not seeking re-election for the Conservatives.

Nearby Cubbington & Leek Wootton was represented by Independent Wallace Redford.

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6.15am

What is the political makeup going into today's count?

The Conservatives currently dominated WCC and hold 41 of the 57 seats.

That would be as high as 42 had Wallace Redford (Cubbington & Leek Wootton) not left the group to become an Independent.

Labour are the second biggest party with just six seats.

In the north of the county Nuneaton Abbey is a little Labour island surrounded by a sea of Tory blue wards.

How Warwickshire County Council's political make-up looked after the last election (image via WCC)

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6am

Polls closed late last night, with councillors canvassing until late at night with the message 'every vote counts'.

This morning will see the votes verified before they are counted at the various locations across the county.

Don't forget - with 57 seats up for grabs, the magic number for a majority is 29.

But will we see a party get over that line themselves?

     

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