Rotherham gets its first Reform councillor following by-election
ROTHERHAM has gained its first Reform Councillor, with Tony Harrison taking a seat in the Keppel ward previously held by Labour.
He secured 1,160 votes, with Labour candidate Kieran Bold beaten into third place behind independent candidate Neil Collett.
Mr Collett took 801 votes, with Mr Bold winning 558.
The result follows a wave of Reform successes in local authority elections this summer, with Doncaster now having a majority of that party.
The result will be seen as a blow to Labour, which sees its majority further narrowed and also the party’s popularity among voters trumped by both a local independent and Reform candidate.
During the campaign, council leader Cllr Chris Read had predicted the vote would be a contest between Labour and Reform.
Mr Harrison’s success in Keppel marks a turning point in his political career, having stood in previous elections elsewhere.
He lives in Dinnington, but during his campaign cited links with the Keppel ward area, while Neil Collett is a local man, well-known for his community activities, including founding a litter-picking group.
Mr Collett had campaigned on being a local candidate who had been in the area to support the community when there was no election to fight.
David Bold, who works for Rother Valley MP Jake Richards, cited local connections during his campaign.
Four other candidates stood, with Lewis Mills representing Local Conservatives and gaining 105 votes, Peter Key, for the Yorkshire Party winning 100 votes, Ghanem Khoulod for the Liberal Democrats taking 80 votes and Green Party candidate Tony Mabbott getting 77 votes.