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Labour holds in city council triple header by-election

BBC Liverpool Town Hall's front facade, with its neoclassical architecture including columns and a balconyBBC
Labour successfully defended the seats in Fazakerley North, Broadgreen and Clubmoor East

Labour have comfortably held three seats in a hat-trick of Liverpool City Council by-elections.

As the country went to the polls on Thursday in the general election, polls were also held in three wards across Liverpool following the sudden and unexpected resignation of three Labour members.

In May, it was announced that Helen Avis, Nick Crofts and Louise Ashton all left their posts with immediate effect.

Labour, the largest group on the council, has successfully defended the seats in Fazakerley North, Broadgreen and Clubmoor East.

Amid a flurry of parliamentary seats being declared overnight, it was announced that Declan Henry took Fazakerley North with 1,611 votes.

He was comfortably ahead of Jean Martin for the Liverpool Community Independents – who secured a consecutive second place finish for the group.

Jean Martin had been runner up second in a by-election in neighbouring Fazakerley East in September.

Second time lucky

Having been unsuccessful in winning a seat in Garston for Labour last May, Richard McLean found it was second time lucky as he won the Clubmoor East ward, seeing off the challenge of the Green Party, Liberal Democrats and Liberal Party.

The battle for Broadgreen featured three former councillors hoping to make a return to office.

Hayley Todd was returned for Labour after Josie Mullen, who served for a decade as a Liberal Democrat before campaigning this time for the Green Party, was defeated.

Alan Tormey – who also stood for the Liberal Group in the Garston Parliamentary election – lost out twice on the night.

Turnout in Fazakerley North was 56.7%, with 47.6% of electors turning out in Clubmoor East.

A turnout of 59.7% was reported in Broadgreen.

As a result, Labour remains comfortably the largest party in the town hall with 61 out of 85 seats, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The Liberal Democrats are on 15 with the Green Party, Liverpool Community Independents and Liberal Groups on three.

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