The Conservatives retained their majority on the council, but lost four seats to Labour, reducing the Conservative majority to just one seat.
Background
Historically, Harlow was a Labour council. Labour held a majority on the council from its creation until 2002, when the district fell into no overall control.[1] The Conservatives held a majority for the first time following the 2008 election, but Labour retook control in 2012.
The Conservative won a majority on the council in 2021,[2] and have governed as a majority since then. In the most recent election, the Conservatives gained 1 seat with 41.5% of the vote, and Labour lost 1 seat with 43.8%.
In the build up to the May 2024 election, Conservative candidate James Leppard was suspended from the party pending investigation,[3] following a Hope Not Hate allegation of Islamophobia.[4] He remained listed as a Conservative on the ballot paper, and he was re-elected. His suspension from the party was lifted a few weeks after the election, after an investigation concluded that his comments which had triggered the complaint had been selectively edited and taken out of context.[5]
Boundary changes
Harlow usually elects its councillors in thirds, on a 4-year cycle. However, following boundary changes, all councillors will be elected to the new wards.[6] All wards have 3 councillors.
