# 2024 St Albans City and District Council election

The 2024 St Albans City and District Council election took place on 2 May 2024 to elect members of St Albans City and District Council in Hertfordshire, England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.
There were 21 members of the council up for election, being the usual approximate third of the council plus three by-elections. The council remained under Liberal Democrat majority control.

## Summary

Prior to the election, the council was under Liberal Democrat majority control. The leader of the council, Chris White, did not stand for re-election in 2024.
Following the election, the Liberal Democrats retained their majority. They chose Paul De Kort to be their new group leader, who was formally appointed as the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 22 May 2024.

### Election result

2024 St Albans City and District Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Liberal Democrats | 17 | 2 | 80.9 | 30 | 47 | 83.9 | 22,472 | 49.7 | –0.7 |
| | Conservative | 1 | 1 | 4.8 | 2 | 3 | 5.4 | 9,596 | 21.3 | –5.5 |
| | Green | 1 | 1 | 4.8 | 2 | 3 | 5.4 | 6,591 | 14.6 | +1.8 |
| | Labour | 2 | 2 | 9.5 | 0 | 2 | 3.6 | 5,443 | 12.0 | +2.2 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 776 | 1.7 | +1.6 |
| | Independent | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.8 | 279 | 0.6 | +0.6 |
| | Communist | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 17 | 0.1 | ±0.0 |

## Ward results

The Statement of Persons Nominated, which details the candidates standing in each ward, was released by St Albans City and District Council following the close of nominations on 5 April 2024.

### Batchwood

Batchwood (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lynn Cunningham | 1,015 | 43.7 | −12.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sinéad Howland | 970 | 41.8 | −14.6 |
| | Green | Damian Gaskin | 928 | 40.0 | +29.8 |
| | Green | Matthew Thomas | 432 | 18.6 | +8.4 |
| | Conservative | Joshua Varghese | 256 | 11.0 | −3.7 |
| | Labour | Mal Pakenham | 255 | 11.0 | −5.4 |
| | Labour | Janet Smith | 240 | 10.3 | −6.1 |
| | Independent | Gerry Foster | 85 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,322 | 41.19 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,637 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Bernards Heath

Bernards Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jez Levy | 1,257 | 55.8 | –4.9 |
| | Conservative | John Page | 305 | 13.5 | –3.8 |
| | Green | Gabriel Roberts | 267 | 11.9 | +0.1 |
| | Labour | Jane Cloke | 229 | 10.1 | +0.1 |
| | Independent | Gee Smedley | 194 | 8.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 952 | 42.3 | –1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,252 | 38.4 | –2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,892 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Clarence

Clarence :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joanna Meaden | 1,347 | 46.6 | +10.8 |
| | Green | Lucy Swift | 1,211 | 42.0 | –8.9 |
| | Conservative | Lyn Bolton | 166 | 5.7 | –1.0 |
| | Labour | Martin Mcgrath | 164 | 5.7 | –0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 4.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,888 | 47.3 | –1.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,134 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Cunningham

Cunningham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roly Everall | 1,189 | 56.7 | –2.9 |
| | Conservative | Jordan Sweeny | 284 | 13.5 | –5.5 |
| | Labour | John Paton | 281 | 13.4 | –0.2 |
| | Green | Caroline Hall | 220 | 10.5 | +2.7 |
| | Reform UK | Larraine Charters | 123 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 905 | 43.2 | +2.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,097 | 37.1 | –0.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,677 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Harpenden East

Harpenden East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul de Kort | 1,081 | 54.4 | –3.6 |
| | Conservative | Mitchell Kieran | 539 | 27.1 | ±0.0 |
| | Labour | Neil Mulcock | 197 | 9.9 | +1.7 |
| | Green | Louise Schlich | 170 | 8.6 | +1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 542 | 27.3 | –3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,987 | 34.9 | –2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,716 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Harpenden North & Rural

Harpenden North & Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Beth Fisher | 1,161 | 53.7 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Samuel Spiri | 662 | 30.6 | –1.5 |
| | Labour | Ross Harper | 186 | 8.7 | +1.4 |
| | Green | Mario May | 152 | 7.0 | –0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 499 | 23.1 | –2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,161 | 36.6 | –2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,921 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Harpenden South

Harpenden South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Matt Cowley | 1,097 | 46.2 | –5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Denise Bowser | 1,039 | 43.7 | +6.0 |
| | Labour | James Morrell | 146 | 6.1 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Gordon Baisley | 94 | 4.0 | –0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 58 | 2.5 | –11.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,376 | 42.9 | +0.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,572 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Harpenden West

Harpenden West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Galvin | 1,327 | 49.1 | +3.7 |
| | Conservative | Clark Alex | 1,027 | 38.0 | –4.9 |
| | Labour | Victoria Thompson | 220 | 8.1 | +3.8 |
| | Green | Kyle Riley | 131 | 4.8 | –2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 300 | 11.1 | +8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,705 | 44.5 | –1.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,108 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### London Colney

London Colney (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hobday Mike | 835 | 46.7 | +12.6 |
| | Labour | Emma Turnbull | 684 | 36.2 | +2.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Karl Mugele | 487 | 27.2 | −8.4 |
| | Conservative | Simon Calder | 463 | 25.9 | ±0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Onamusi | 433 | 24.2 | −11.4 |
| | Conservative | Ambrose Killen | 268 | 15.0 | −10.9 |
| | Reform UK | Eleanor Jackson | 164 | 9.2 | N/A |
| | Green | Matt Maddock | 160 | 8.9 | +4.8 |
| | Green | Rosalind Paul | 85 | 4.7 | +0.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3579 | 33.21 | +2.51 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,857 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Hill End

Hill End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Rowlands | 1,584 | 70.5 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | Sudha Bharadia | 256 | 11.4 | –1.9 |
| | Green | Marianne Jordan | 223 | 9.9 | –1.4 |
| | Labour | Steven Clark | 185 | 8.2 | –0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,328 | 59.1 | +5.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,248 | 40.2 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,623 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm

Marshalswick East & Jersey Farm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ahmed Raihaanah | 1,069 | 46.7 | –3.2 |
| | Conservative | Frances Leonard | 855 | 37.3 | +3.3 |
| | Green | James Lomas | 187 | 8.2 | –0.2 |
| | Labour | Nick Pullinger | 178 | 7.8 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 214 | 9.4 | –6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,289 | 40.4 | +0.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,932 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Marshalswick West

Marshalswick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Mostyn | 1,035 | 63.0 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Don Deepthi | 342 | 20.8 | −4.4 |
| | Green | Rachel Timbs | 158 | 9.6 | +1.1 |
| | Labour | Sarah Heiser | 108 | 6.6 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 693 | 42.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,643 | 42.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,856 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Park Street

Park Street :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Smith Terrie | 1,087 | 50.7 | –4.1 |
| | Conservative | Richard Curthoys | 519 | 24.2 | –7.1 |
| | Reform UK | Roger Gray | 201 | 9.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Laurence Chester | 178 | 8.3 | +0.7 |
| | Green | Mark Park-Crowne | 159 | 7.4 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 568 | 26.5 | +3.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,144 | 33.0 | –2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,532 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Sandridge & Wheathampstead

Sandridge & Wheathampstead (2 seats due to by-election) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Owain McKenzie | 1,003 | 46.0 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Johns | 990 | 45.8 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Claudio Duran | 743 | 34.4 | −4.2 |
| | Labour | Hannah Thornley Hill | 349 | 16.2 | +10.2 |
| | Green | Danielle Durant-Taylor | 277 | 12.8 | +6.1 |
| | Green | Oliver Hitch | 217 | 10.0 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,160 | 35.32 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,115 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Sopwell

Sopwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jesús Pastor | 968 | 50.5 | –5.0 |
| | Labour | Iain Grant | 376 | 19.6 | –0.5 |
| | Green | Deborah McGettrick | 226 | 11.9 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Heather Rench | 203 | 10.6 | –2.9 |
| | Reform UK | Lexine Savva | 125 | 6.5 | N/A |
| | Communist | Mark Ewington | 17 | 0.9 | –0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 592 | 30.9 | –4.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,915 | 35.5 | –2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,419 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### St Peters

St Peters :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Juliet Voisey | 918 | 43.9 | –2.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Naina Bloom | 758 | 36.2 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | David Byatt | 225 | 10.8 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | Graham Leonard | 190 | 9.1 | –1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 160 | 7.7 | –5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,091 | 34.2 | –2.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,136 | | |
| | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### St Stephen

St Stephen :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Giles Fry | 1,066 | 43.3 | –4.4 |
| | Conservative | James Cook | 866 | 35.3 | –6.1 |
| | Labour | Janet Blackwell | 216 | 8.8 | +2.8 |
| | Reform UK | David Thurston | 163 | 6.6 | N/A |
| | Green | Meryl Burleigh | 145 | 6.0 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 200 | 8.0 | +1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,456 | 36.8 | –2.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,690 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Verulam

Verulam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edgar Hill | 1,606 | 62.2 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | June Reid | 555 | 21.5 | –3.1 |
| | Green | Candy Whittome | 231 | 8.9 | +0.9 |
| | Labour | Geoff Meade | 191 | 7.4 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,051 | 40.7 | +3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,583 | 45.3 | –0.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,746 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections
### Harpenden North & Rural

A by-election was held in the Harpenden North and Rural ward on 17 October 2024, after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Beth Fisher.
Harpenden North and Rural: 17 October 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sue Griffiths | 661 | 49.3 | +18.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Robertson | 546 | 40.7 | −13.0 |
| | Green | Mario May | 82 | 6.1 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Ross Harper | 51 | 3.8 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 115 | 8.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,340 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |