# 2022 St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2022 St Helens Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2022. Due to boundary changes, all 48 councillors were elected at the same time, with the council moving to a system of all-out elections every four years. The election took place alongside other local elections across the United Kingdom.
In the previous council election in 2021, Labour maintained its control of the council, holding 35 seats after the election. The Liberal Democrats where the Opposition with 4 Seats while the Greens, Conservatives and Rainhill Independents had 3 Each, Earlestown Independents had 1.

## Background

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. St Helens was a district of the Merseyside metropolitan county. The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan counties, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority was created in 2014 and began electing the mayor of the Liverpool City Region from 2017. The body was given strategic powers covering a region that encompassed the former Merseyside metropolitan county with the addition of Halton Borough Council.
Since its formation, St Helens has continuously been under Labour control apart from a period of no overall control from 2004 to 2010. Labour continued to run the council from 2004 until the 2005 election, when the Liberal Democrats formed a coalition with the Conservatives in an arrangement that lasted until Labour regained control of the council in the 2010 election. In the most recent election in 2021, Labour lost three seats but maintained their majority. Of the seventeen seats up for election—sixteen on the normal thirds schedule and one by-election on the same date—Labour won twelve, independent candidates won two and the Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and Greens won one seat each.
St Helens council underwent boundary changes ahead of this election. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England determined that the council should continue to elect 48 councillors and designed new election boundaries to reflect population change. The new boundaries include thirteen three-member wards, four two-member wards and one single-member ward. The new boundaries will be used for all-out elections every four years instead of the previous model of election a third of councillors in each of three years out of four.

## Electoral process

The council previously elected its councillors in thirds, with a third being up for election every year for three years, with no election in the fourth year. However, following a boundary review, all forty-eight councillors were elected at the same time. The election took place by multi-member first-past-the-post voting, with each ward being represented by up to three councillors. Electors were able to vote for as many candidates as there were seats to fill, and the candidates with the most votes in each ward were elected.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in St Helens aged 18 or over were entitled to vote in the election. People who lived at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, were entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities. Voting in-person at polling stations took place from 07:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters were able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.

## Ward results
### Billinge and Seneley Green

Billinge and Seneley Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Peter Peers | 1,424 | 45.8 | |
| | Labour | Sue Murphy | 1,388 | 44.6 | |
| | Independent | Collin Richard Betts | 1,352 | 43.5 | |
| | Labour | Dennis McDonnell | 1,220 | 39.2 | |
| | Independent | Malcolm James Webster | 988 | 31.8 | |
| | Labour | Gareth William Cross | 980 | 31.5 | |
| | Conservative | Denise Anne Gibney | 646 | 20.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,111 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### Blackbrook

Blackbrook :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anthony James Burns | 1,309 | 59.0 | |
| | Labour | Paul McQuade | 1,262 | 56.9 | |
| | Labour | Linda Lovina Maloney | 1,255 | 56.6 | |
| | Green | Emma Carolyn Van Der Burg | 715 | 32.2 | |
| | Green | Jessica Northey | 707 | 31.9 | |
| | Conservative | Melanie Ann Marie Lee | 442 | 19.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,219 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Bold and Lea Green

Bold and Lea Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | David Edward Hawley | 1,209 | 48.0 | |
| | Green | Allen John Makin | 1,176 | 46.7 | |
| | Green | Glen Roger Richards | 1,120 | 44.5 | |
| | Labour | Jim Housley | 1,084 | 43.1 | |
| | Labour | Lisa Preston | 1,032 | 41.0 | |
| | Labour | Charlie Preston | 983 | 39.0 | |
| | Conservative | Barbara Evelyn Woodcock | 329 | 13.1 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,518 | | |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Eccleston

Eccleston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Haw | 2,252 | 74.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Teresa Veronica Sims | 2,178 | 71.6 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoff Pearl | 1,938 | 63.7 | |
| | Labour | Glyn Robert Jones | 732 | 24.1 | |
| | Conservative | Mackenzie France | 391 | 12.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,041 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Haydock

Haydock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Paul Robert Hooton | 1,485 | 59.1 | |
| | Green | Janet Ann Sheldon | 1,445 | 57.5 | |
| | Green | David Ian Van Der Burg | 1,357 | 54.0 | |
| | Labour | Matthew Peter Butterworth | 834 | 33.2 | |
| | Labour | Paul Joseph Pritchard | 762 | 30.3 | |
| | Labour | Amy Sample | 756 | 30.1 | |
| | Conservative | Judith Margaret Collins | 287 | 11.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,513 | | |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Moss Bank

Moss Bank :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tracy Paula Dickinson | 1,547 | 63.4 | |
| | Labour | Trisha Long | 1,476 | 60.5 | |
| | Labour | Zeena Ilsha Begum | 1,375 | 56.4 | |
| | Conservative | Margaret Hilda Harvey | 514 | 21.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Kent | 494 | 20.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jane Patricia Kent | 460 | 18.9 | |
| | Independent | Paul John Wilcock | 419 | 17.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,439 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Newton-Le-Willows East

Newton-Le-Willows East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeanie Bell | 1,701 | 56.4 | |
| | Labour | Keith Anthony Laird | 1,599 | 53.0 | |
| | Labour | Seve Gomez-Aspron | 1,560 | 51.7 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David James Smith | 1,393 | 46.2 | |
| | Conservative | Lisa Cunliffe | 778 | 25.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,016 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Newton-Le-Willows West

Newton-Le-Willows West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Terry Maguire | 1,670 | 59.1 | |
| | Independent | Karl Lionel Collier | 1,302 | 46.0 | |
| | Labour | Dave Banks | 1,190 | 42.1 | |
| | Labour | Jeanette Susan Banks | 1,182 | 41.8 | |
| | Independent | Craig Colin Alexander Smith | 1,153 | 40.8 | |
| | Labour | Andy Davidson | 1,063 | 37.6 | |
| | Conservative | Allan Albert Dockerty | 237 | 8.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,828 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Parr

Parr :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andy Bowden | 1,172 | 79.1 | |
| | Labour | Kate Groucutt | 1,079 | 72.9 | |
| | Labour | Bisi Osundeko | 964 | 65.1 | |
| | Conservative | Madeleine Patricia Wilcock | 324 | 21.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,481 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Peasley Cross and Fingerpost

Peasley Cross and Fingerpost :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Damien Patrick O'Connor | 325 | 60.6 | |
| | Conservative | Iris Brown | 107 | 20.0 | |
| | Green | Alison Jill Donnelly | 104 | 19.4 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 536 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Rainford

Rainford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Case | 1,462 | 57.2 | |
| | Conservative | Anne Linda Mussell | 1,450 | 56.7 | |
| | Labour | John Francis Tabern | 1,099 | 43.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,556 | | |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Rainhill

Rainhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | James Stephen Tasker | 2,336 | 64.7 | |
| | Independent | Donna Greaves | 2,133 | 59.0 | |
| | Independent | Kate Elizabeth Stevenson | 2,062 | 57.1 | |
| | Labour | Ken Rustidge | 1,179 | 32.6 | |
| | Labour | Emma Davies | 1,122 | 31.1 | |
| | Labour | Barrie Grunewald | 1,029 | 28.5 | |
| | Conservative | Henry Spriggs | 333 | 9.2 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,613 | | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### St Helens Town Centre

St Helens Town Centre :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anne Helen Mccormack | 747 | 71.2 | |
| | Labour | Michelle Elaine Sweeney | 700 | 66.7 | |
| | Conservative | Nancy Ashcroft | 229 | 21.8 | |
| | For Britain | Terence Matthew Oakes | 176 | 16.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,049 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Sutton North West

Sutton North West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Niall Peter Andrew Campbell | 645 | 54.2 | |
| | Labour | John William Hodkinson | 643 | 54.0 | |
| | Green | Francis Joseph Williams | 441 | 37.0 | |
| | Conservative | David Leslie Skeech | 320 | 26.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,191 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Sutton South East

Sutton South East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Thomas Spencer | 816 | 58.8 | |
| | Labour | Janet Elizabeth Johnson | 589 | 42.4 | |
| | Labour | Anthony Albert Johnson | 560 | 40.3 | |
| | Conservative | Deepak Shatrugan Gupta | 250 | 18.0 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,388 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Thatto Heath

Thatto Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Nova Louise Charlton | 1,372 | 63.6 | |
| | Labour | Robyn Oliva Hattersley | 1,330 | 61.7 | |
| | Labour | Richard Mccauley | 1,317 | 61.1 | |
| | Green | Terence Stephen Price | 610 | 28.3 | |
| | Conservative | Samantha Ann Pearson Peet | 509 | 23.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,156 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### West Park

West Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Marlene Mary Quinn | 1,543 | 72.4 | |
| | Labour | Martin James Bond | 1,516 | 71.2 | |
| | Labour | Derek Paul Long | 1,348 | 63.3 | |
| | Conservative | Richard Barton | 525 | 24.6 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,130 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

### Windle

Windle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Edward Baines | 1,503 | 59.4 | |
| | Labour | Lynn Susan Clarke | 1,391 | 52.2 | |
| | Labour | Mancyia Uddin | 1,204 | 47.6 | |
| | Green | Andrew William Donnelly | 999 | 39.5 | |
| | Conservative | John Phillip Cunliffe | 756 | 29.9 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,529 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |

## Previous council composition

| After 2021 election | After 2021 election | After 2021 election | Before 2022 election | Before 2022 election | Before 2022 election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | Labour | 35 | | Labour | 33 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 4 | | Liberal Democrats | 4 |
| | Independent | 4 | | Independent | 5 |
| | Conservative | 3 | | Conservative | 3 |
| | Green | 3 | | Green | 2 |

## By-elections between 2022 and 2026
### Moss Bank

A by-election was held in Moss Bank on 20 October 2022 after the resignation of Labour councillor Zeena Begum.
Moss Bank by-election 20 October 2022 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jeanette Banks | 656 | 50.3 | −1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Kent | 571 | 43.8 | +27.2 |
| | Conservative | Samantha Peet | 78 | 6.0 | −11.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 85 | 6.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,305 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Windle

A by-election was held in Windle on 4 July 2024 after the resignation of Labour councillor David Baines.
Windle by-election 4 July 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lisa Preston | 2,506 | 53.4 | +7.3 |
| | Green | Andrew Donnelly | 1,012 | 21.6 | −9.1 |
| | Conservative | Denise Gibney | 725 | 15.4 | −7.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Phil Cass | 451 | 9.6 | +9.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,494 | 31.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,694 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Blackbrook

A by-election was held in Blackbrook on 12 December 2024 after the death of a Labour councillor.
Blackbrook by-election 12 December 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform UK | Victor Floyd | 546 | 41.1 | New |
| | Labour | Sally Yeoman | 460 | 34.7 | −18.4 |
| | Green | Daniel John Thomas | 167 | 12.6 | −16.4 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Dodd | 102 | 7.7 | −10.2 |
| | Independent | Trevor Anthony McLaughlin | 52 | 3.9 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 86 | 6.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,327 | | |
| | Reform UK gain from Labour | Reform UK gain from Labour | Swing | +29.75 | |