Green Party councillor wins seat in Lancaster by-election

The Scotforth East area of Lancaster was the focus of a by-election this week for a seat on Lancaster City Council.

And after the votes were counted on Thursday evening, Andrew Robert Otway of Lancaster, for the Green Party, was elected.

The results were:

- Mark Andrew Jarnell, Labour and Co-operative Party, 241;

- Malcolm Martin, Liberal Democrats, 66;

- Andrew Robert Otway, Green Party, 623;

- Timothy Wood, The Conservative Party Candidate, 148.

Scotforth East is usually represented by two city councillors. Labour’s Jason Wood is the ward’s other councillor.

The win confirms the Green Party as the biggest group on Lancaster City Council, with 23 out of 61 seats.

Labour have 21, Liberal Democrats have seven, Conservatives have five, MBIs have three and non-aligned Independents have two.

It also makes the Greens in Lancaster the joint second biggest group of elected Greens in the UK (along with Mid-Suffolk who also have 23); only Bristol has an even bigger elected Green group with 34 councillors.

Andrew is a Scotforth resident who worked at Lancaster Central Library for 30 years before his recent retirement.

He said: "Thank you to all the voters of Scotforth East and to everyone who took the time to chat to about local issues. I have lots of ideas and casework to follow up, and am looking forward to making a difference as one of the councillors for this lovely, friendly part of Lancaster."

Coun Caroline Jackson, leader of the Green group and deputy leader of the council, said: "Congratulations to Andrew - I'm delighted to welcome him to our hard-working team of Green councillors.

“I'm now looking forward to discussions with our current partners in the successful joint administration (Green, Labour and Lib Dem) about the consequences for the next two and half years.”