# 2024 Harlow District Council election

The 2024 Harlow District Council election was held on Thursday 2 May 2024, alongside the other local elections in the United Kingdom being held on the same day. All 33 members of Harlow District Council in Essex were elected following boundary changes.
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. 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, 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, following a Hope Not Hate allegation of Islamophobia. 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.

## 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. All wards have 3 councillors.
| Old wards | New wards |
| Bush Fair | Bush Fair |
| Church Langley | Church Langley North and Newhall |
| Great Parndon | Church Langley South and Potter Street |
| Harlow Common | Great Parndon |
| Little Parndon and Hare Street | Latton Bush and Stewards |
| Mark Hall | Little Parndon and Town Centre |
| Netteswell | Mark Hall |
| Old Harlow | Netteswell |
| Staple Tye | Old Harlow |
| Sumners and Kingsmoor | Passmores |
| Toddbrook | Sumners and Kingsmoor |

## Summary

The Conservatives lost four seats, but retained a one-seat majority over Labour.

### Council composition

| After 2023 election | After 2023 election | After 2023 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | Conservative | 21 | | Conservative | 21 | | Conservative | 17 |
| | Labour | 12 | | Labour | 12 | | Labour | 16 |

### Election result

2024 Harlow District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 33 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 51.5 | 43.8 | 21,900 | +2.3 |
| Labour | 33 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 48.5 | 43.8 | 21,928 | ±0.0 |
| Green | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 8.6 | 4,314 | –0.9 |
| Harlow Alliance Party | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 2.0 | 993 | –0.8 |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.7 | 351 | –0.8 |
| UKIP | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.6 | 325 | N/A |
| Independent | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.3 | 141 | N/A |
| TUSC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.1 | 55 | –0.2 |

## Ward results

Statement of Persons Nominated:

### Bush Fair

Bush Fair (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour Co-op | Jodi Dunne* | 778 | 43.0 | |
| | Labour Co-op | Kay Morrison* | 769 | 42.5 | |
| | Labour Co-op | Mark Ingall | 737 | 40.7 | |
| | Conservative | Colleen Morrison | 589 | 32.5 | |
| | Conservative | Nidhi Hindocha | 575 | 31.8 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Kasule | 550 | 30.4 | |
| | Green | Hannah Bolton | 177 | 9.8 | |
| | Green | David Margetts | 175 | 9.7 | |
| | Green | Jennifer Steadman | 175 | 9.7 | |
| | UKIP | Daniel Long | 141 | 7.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Tennison | 89 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,811 | 28.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,397 | | |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |
| | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold | Labour Co-op hold |
| | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative | Labour Co-op gain from Conservative |

### Church Langley North & Newhall

Church Langley North & Newhall (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Johnson* | 831 | 62.8 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Hardware* | 779 | 60.3 | |
| | Conservative | Dan Swords* | 798 | 58.9 | |
| | Labour | Edna Stevens | 437 | 33.0 | |
| | Labour | Simon O'Dell | 418 | 31.6 | |
| | Labour | John Solomon | 384 | 29.0 | |
| | Green | Michelle Margetts | 185 | 14.0 | |
| | Green | Bengeman White | 136 | 10.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,453 | 27.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,318 | | |
| | 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) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Church Langley South & Potter Street

Church Langley South & Potter Street (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nicky Purse* | 939 | 61.7 | |
| | Conservative | Danielle Brown* | 890 | 58.4 | |
| | Conservative | James Leppard* | 826 | 54.2 | |
| | Labour | Christine Gallacher | 568 | 37.3 | |
| | Labour | Emma Mullard-Toal | 513 | 33.7 | |
| | Labour | Jeff Mace | 505 | 33.2 | |
| | Green | Tina Richardson | 187 | 12.3 | |
| | Independent | Gary Roberts | 141 | 9.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,773 | 26.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,669 | | |
| | 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) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Great Parndon

Great Parndon (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Carter* | 932 | 59.4 | |
| | Conservative | Hannah Ellis | 825 | 52.6 | |
| | Conservative | Matthew Saggers* | 791 | 50.4 | |
| | Labour | Rosie Jackson | 581 | 37.0 | |
| | Labour | Allan Jolley | 527 | 33.6 | |
| | Labour | Harry Tennison | 490 | 31.2 | |
| | Harlow Alliance | Nicholas Taylor | 289 | 18.4 | |
| | Green | Vicki O'Brien | 149 | 9.5 | |
| | Green | Liz Pike | 121 | 7.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,711 | 30.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,601 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Latton Bush & Stewards

Latton Bush & Stewards (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Luke Howard | 890 | 47.1 | |
| | Conservative | Alastair Gunn* | 881 | 46.6 | |
| | Conservative | Stacy Seales | 859 | 45.4 | |
| | Conservative | John Steer* | 836 | 44.2 | |
| | Labour | Phil Waite | 805 | 42.6 | |
| | Labour | Peiyee O'Dell | 781 | 41.3 | |
| | Harlow Alliance | Karen James | 221 | 11.7 | |
| | Green | Tina Higginson | 215 | 11.4 | |
| | Green | Jack Margetts | 183 | 9.7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,100 | 30.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,815 | | |
| | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour 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) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Little Parndon & Town Centre

Little Parndon & Town Centre (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Chris Vince* | 761 | 62.7 | |
| | Labour | Tony Durcan* | 710 | 58.5 | |
| | Labour | Maggie Hulcoop* | 671 | 55.3 | |
| | Conservative | Dan Brown | 388 | 32.0 | |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Longster | 349 | 28.8 | |
| | Conservative | Anne Richards | 332 | 27.4 | |
| | Green | Klara Bow | 187 | 15.4 | |
| | Green | Caroline Schellin-Jolley | 133 | 11.0 | |
| | Green | Danielle Kemm | 108 | 8.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,365 | 26.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,228 | | |
| | 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) |

### Mark Hall

Mark Hall (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Houlihan | 722 | 50.3 | |
| | Labour | Aiden O'Dell* | 685 | 47.7 | |
| | Labour | Lanie Shears* | 682 | 47.5 | |
| | Conservative | Simon Carter* | 408 | 28.4 | |
| | Green | Julie Taylor | 370 | 23.5 | |
| | Conservative | Fahreday Purse | 337 | 22.9 | |
| | Conservative | John Purse | 329 | 22.9 | |
| | Green | Ernesto Johnson | 240 | 16.7 | |
| | Green | Paul King | 233 | 16.2 | |
| | UKIP | Mark Gough | 184 | 12.8 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lesley Rideout | 117 | 8.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,571 | 27.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,679 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Netteswell

Netteswell (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | James Griggs* | 871 | 67.2 | |
| | Labour | Nancy Watson* | 710 | 54.8 | |
| | Labour | Stefan Mullard-Toal | 705 | 54.4 | |
| | Conservative | Wendy Carter | 420 | 32.4 | |
| | Conservative | Elena Hardware | 403 | 31.1 | |
| | Conservative | Vic Petch | 367 | 28.3 | |
| | Green | Milly Judd | 147 | 11.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Thurston | 145 | 11.2 | |
| | Green | Adam Margetts | 122 | 9.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,432 | 24.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,749 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative |

### Old Harlow

Old Harlow (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Joel Charles* | 1,042 | 58.8 | |
| | Conservative | Michael Garnett* | 957 | 54.0 | |
| | Conservative | Sue Livings* | 943 | 53.2 | |
| | Labour | Michael Danvers | 665 | 37.5 | |
| | Labour | Liam Kerrigan | 563 | 31.8 | |
| | Labour | Anita Schultschik | 559 | 31.6 | |
| | Green | Yasmin Gregory | 247 | 13.9 | |
| | Green | Jacklyn Stansfield | 168 | 9.5 | |
| | Green | Jacobus Van Der Poel | 115 | 6.5 | |
| | TUSC | Paul Lenihan | 55 | 3.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,907 | 30.4 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,269 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

### Passmores

Passmores (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tony Edwards* | 799 | 62.3 | |
| | Labour | Daniella Pritchard* | 753 | 58.7 | |
| | Labour | Jake Shepherd | 748 | 58.3 | |
| | Conservative | Amanda Maison | 427 | 33.3 | |
| | Conservative | Michelle Field | 422 | 32.9 | |
| | Conservative | Ash Malik | 337 | 26.3 | |
| | Harlow Alliance | Steve Barnes | 198 | 15.4 | |
| | Green | Gareth Williams | 166 | 12.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,439 | 27.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,339 | | |
| | 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) |

### Sumners & Kingsmoor

Sumners & Kingsmoor (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Russel Perrin* | 886 | 49.8 | |
| | Conservative | Clive Souter* | 864 | 48.5 | |
| | Conservative | Emma Ghaffari | 788 | 44.3 | |
| | Labour | Robert Davis | 752 | 42.3 | |
| | Labour | Cara Dunne | 719 | 40.4 | |
| | Labour | Simon Vincent | 670 | 37.6 | |
| | Harlow Alliance | Alan Leverett | 285 | 16.0 | |
| | Green | Julie Bull | 205 | 11.5 | |
| | Green | Dean Bull | 170 | 9.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,909 | 31.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,135 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Conservative hold |

## By-elections
### Little Parndon and Town Centre

Little Parndon and Town Centre: 10 October 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linda Clark | 513 | 50.3 | –6.3 |
| | Conservative | Colleen Morrison | 227 | 22.3 | –7.0 |
| | Reform UK | Peter Lamb | 201 | 19.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Ernesto Johnson | 56 | 5.5 | –8.6 |
| | UKIP | Mark Gough | 23 | 2.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 | 28.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,020 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 0.4 | |