The overall picture in Derbyshire as Tories strengthen grip in county

The Conservative Party has strengthened its control of Derbyshire County Council, with the number of seats rising from 37 to 45.

Labour lost 10 seats overall and now have 14 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats have four councillors - an increase of one.

For the first time, a Green Party candidate has been elected to the county council to represent Duffield and Belper South.

In the High Peak, where eight seats were up for grabs, it was honours even - with Labour and the Conservatives each winning four seats.

The Conservatives lost one seat in Glossop to Labour, who also won the New Mills seat from the Liberal Democrats.

However, High Peak MP Robert Largan still felt it was a positive result for the party locally.

“We had a very big swing to us in Etherow, of 6.3 per cent, a rock-solid labour area.

“Holding Buxton North and East defending a majority of 27 was a great result. We won Chapel by over 1,000 votes and defended Buxton West successfully.

“And Jean Wharmby getting re-elected in Glossop is a fantastic result.

“At the start of the campaign we thought we would really struggle but we worked really hard knocked on a high number of doors and had a very positive campaign. I think in key battle grounds in the High Peak you have seen a swing to us.

“I am really encouraged by what I have seen here, we had a lot of good candidates.”

HOW THE HIGH PEAK VOTES WERE CAST

Labour gained seats in the High Peak but ended up losing seats across the county.

Damien Greenhalgh, who won a seat in the Glossop and Charlesworth division, was delighted to top the poll but disappointed his colleague Gerry Dominey didn’t secure the second seat.

While fellow Labour candidate Caitlin Bisknell, who lost out by just 27 votes in 2017, saw Conservative Linda Grooby increase her majority to 209 in the Buxton North and East division.

She said: “The turnout was about normal, but the postal vote has been exceptionally high across the High Peak. I think that favoured the Tories as they (the postal votes) have gone out when Boris was at the vaccination high before Tory sleaze hit.

“I am extremely disappointed as they have ended up voting for a party that couldn’t mend roads, wants to close care homes and has closed youth clubs and want to cut grants to the voluntary sector by 50 per cent.”

For the High Peak Liberal Democrats, it was a difficult day, with long-standing councillor Beth Atkins losing her seat to Labour's Anne Marie Clarke winning the seat with a massive 651 majority. Beth had been defending a 577 majority and was surprised by the result.

She said: “We had no idea. We hadn’t picked up on it, but it happens.”

The Lib Dems struggled, polling less votes that the Green Party in five of the seven divisions.

There were strong results for the Green Party, who increased their share of the vote.

In Chapel and Hope Valley, Joanna Collins - the Green Party candidate - pushed Labour into third by polling 907 votes. The Conservatives retained the seat.

Joanna, although disappointed with the result, was heartened by the increase in the share of the vote.

She said: “It shows that increasingly people are beginning to realise that climate change and the loss of nature really matter.

“We have spoken to all sorts of people; older people are worried about the future for their grandchildren and young people also worried about the future.

“A lot of people want to see change. Having said that I’m rather disappointed we have worked really hard my agent Charlotte Farrell has been fantastic support - next time maybe we will win.”

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