Labour won the Southgate byelection on Thursday 9th June. The results were:

Bob Noyce (Labour) 938
Jan Tarrant (Tory) 790
Richard Kail (Green) 144

Labour majority was: 148

Speaking after the result was declared Cllr Bob Noyce said: “It’s been a great campaign and I have thoroughly enjoyed speaking to Southgate people, who have been friendly and welcoming throughout.  I look forward to working hard for them on the council, and it’s a huge privilege to do so.

I will have high standards to live up to, my predecessor Mike Pickett is enormously respected and has an extensive track record of success.  If I can achieve anything approaching what he has, I will be very proud indeed.”

Labour leader Cllr Michael Jones said: “I am delighted to welcome Bob as Crawley’s newest borough councillor with this convincing win and I wish him much success serving his residents in Southgate.

The result is a continuing vote of confidence that local people have in their Labour council here in Crawley as well as a further rejection of the disgraceful record of the national Tory government and the behaviour of Boris Johnson, in particular.  That Labour has now increased its majority on the council is both good for the Borough and for the running of the council going forward.”

Labour now has a majority on the Council with 19 seats to the Tories 17.