Labour picked up an extra six seats, making it the dominant party in opposition
The Tories have retained control of Kensington and Chelsea Council securing 34 out of 50 seats in the local elections.
The Conservative Party kept the same number of seats it held on Kensington and Chelsea Council in 2022, with Labour winning 13 seats and three going to the Liberal Democrats. There were no wins for Reform or the Green Party.
With all the talk of the political landscape changing nationally and the two-party dominance coming to an end, the West London borough seemed to buck that trend, with Labour increasing its presence from the seven seats it held previously. The Liberal Democrats gained a seat but Advance UK lost one and the Green Party lost one, effectively returning the borough to the status quo of the big three parties.
Three independents also lost their seats.
Cllr Elizabeth Campbell, Leader of the Kensington and Chelsea Conservative Group, said: “Thank you to all the officers here – you’ve all been incredibly calm, incredibly professional and I can’t thank you enough.
“It’s time to go home, time to go to bed, time to wake up for a new dawn and to deliver what we promised on the doorstep.”
Kensington and Chelsea has been a Conservative majority council since it was created in 1965. Polling had suggested this was unlikely to change with the borough seen as one of the party’s most secure in the capital.
Final results for the borough came in after 8am on Friday after an overnight count. Some candidates had already left the Town Hall as the count had “no end in sight”, the LDRS understands.
Labour Leader Kasim Ali held his seat in Notting Dale, alongside fellow Labour Councillors Claire Simmons and Portia A Thaxter. He said he was proud of the 45 percent increase in Labour councillors on Kensington and Chelsea Council.
“This gives us a strong foundation to build on as we continue reaching out to communities across Kensington and Chelsea. Although we have not secured the council leadership needed to implement our vision for a fairer council, we remain committed to serving our North Kensington constituents to the best of our abilities.
“We will continue to hold the Tory administration to account and ensure the council serves all residents — not only those who voted for them, but also those who did not.
“Our top priorities remain securing justice for the Grenfell bereaved families and survivors, providing healthy homes for residents, reducing inequality across Kensington and Chelsea, and improving community safety. I am proud of my colleagues and the work of our team, and I believe we can only grow stronger from here.”
The Liberal Democrats took all three seats in the Earl’s Court Ward – gaining one seat from the Tories. Cllr Linda Wade was elected for the fifth consecutive term for the ward.
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