RECAP Local elections 2024: Seismic changes in Havant as results Portsmouth, Gosport and Fareham confirmed
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The Liberal Democrats retained the most seats at Portsmouth City Council, with the Conservative losses being the party’s gain.
Portsmouth Independents Party surged in popularity - particularly in the north of the city - taking three seats and having four in total. However with no overall majority to control the council its administration a meeting where it will be agreed who will lead it, will be decided at the annual general meeting on May 14.
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Hide AdIt is not all bad news for the Tories though, as they have maintained overall control of Fareham Borough Council after a rare all-out election. They also retained Fareham Sarisbury following a by-election, but lost Meon Valley to The Green party. Gosport Borough Council remains in Liberal Democrat control, but the biggest shock came in Havant.
The Conservatives lost overall control after being dumped out of 17 seats from a previous 30. Labour, the Liberal Democrats and The Greens all picked the spoils, with Reform UK also receiving two seats.
A recap of the local elections can be found by scrolling through the updates at the bottom of this article. Further stories can be found in the politics section of our website.
Portsmouth area election results 2024
Key Events
- Liberal Democrats hold Portsmouth City Council
- Portsmouth Independents Party make gains
- Tories lose Portsmouth seats but maintain Fareham council control
- Liberal Democrats retain control at Gosport Borough Council
- Donna Jones re-elected as the police and crime commissioner
- Tories lose control of Havant Borough Council
Fareham Borough Council
Key information about the Fareham Borough Council elections - candidate information and how to vote
Havant Borough Council
Key information about the Havant Borough Council elections (covering Havant, Waterlooville, Emsworth, Bedhampton and Hayling Island) - candidate information and how to vote
Gosport Borough Council
Key information about the Gosport Borough Council elections - candidate information and how to vote
Portsmouth City Council
Key information about the Portsmouth City Council elections - candidate information and how to vote
Local Elections 2024
Welcome to The News Portsmouth live blog. Below is information regarding the candidates in today’s local elections, by-elections and police and crime commissioner voting.
Click on the stories to get full updates on the candidates for each constituency and ward seat. Developments will be posted throughout the day and live during the voting counts overnight.
Today's weather
Portsmouth has eased out of a thunderstorm warning which was issued by The Met Office yesterday.
The yellow alert was in place over the surrounding area and much of the south of England. Below is today’s forecast as polling stations open.
Forecast
8am - overcast - 12C - 10 per cent chance of rain
9am - overcast - 12C - 10 per cent chance of rain
10am - overcast - 12C - 10 per cent chance of rain
11am - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
12pm - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
1pm - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
2pm - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
3pm - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
4pm - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
5pm - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
6pm - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
7pm - overcast - 13C - 10 per cent chance of rain
8pm - overcast - 12C - 10 per cent chance of rain
9pm - overcast - 12C - 10 per cent chance of rain
10pm - cloudy - 11C - 10 per cent chance of rain
11pm - cloudy - 11C - 10 per cent chance of rain
Voter ID
Voters are reminded to take voter ID with them to the polling stations. Some of the acceptable forms of photo ID are below:
1. A UK passport, or a passport linked to the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, any British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or Commonwealth country.
2. A UK driving licence
3. A biometric immigration document
4. An identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
5. A Ministry of Defence Form 90 - Defence ID Card
6. A Blue Badge
7. A national identity card issued by a EEA state
8. An OAP bus pass
9. A disabled person’s bus pass
10. An Oyster 60+ card
11. A Voter Authority Certificate or a temporary Voter Authority Certificate
Further information can be found on the electoral commission website.
Local election - what is happening
A third of the seats on Portsmouth City Council are up for grabs - 16 out of 42.
All 32 and 36 seats are up for election at Fareham Borough Council and Havant Borough Council respectively - with 14 seats being voted on at Gosport Borough Council.
In the race to become police and crime commissioner, Conservative incumbent Donna Jones is competing against Labour & Co-Operative candidate Becky Williams, Prad Bains of the Liberal Democrats and Don Jerrard of the Justice and Anti-Corruption Party.
There are also by-elections for Fareham Sarisbury and Meon Valley.
Further candidate overviews can be found by scrolling down the live blog.
What is happening now?
An announcement has been made that the votes are currently being verified ahead counting. The count is expected to start at midnight.
Portsmouth Independent Party gain?
Portsmouth Independent Party leader George Madgwick a large seat gain for his party.
He told The News: “I truly believe we’re going to be the winner of the night, the biggest net seat gain and we might even have the most seats tonight.
“You get a vibe when you’re at the door, you want to see if that translates at support in the polling stations.
“I think we could walk away with five or six seats tonight - we could walk away with eight.”
Portsmouth: "A tough evening"
Councillor Simon Bosher, leader of the Conservative group, echoed the views of chancellor Jeremy Hunt, predicting the Tories will lose seats.
He said: “It’s going be a tough evening. A lot of it is probably not due to the work of councillors, it’s more to do with conflating it with the national picture - which is not good.
“It won’t be an election on the personalities, it’s probably going to be more of a protest vote."
National: Veteran blocked from voting
A military veteran was turned away from a polling station after he tried to use his veteran ID card in order to vote.
Adam Diver, who served in the army for 27 years, said he was “gutted” the new form of identification was not counted.
Veterans minister Johnny Mercer, Conservative, apologised and said he hopes the card can be used in the upcoming general election.
National: Boris Johnson Turned Away From Voting
Former prime minister Boris Johnson fell foul of his own legislation today as he forgot to bring ID to vote.
As reported in Sky News, the controversial figure tried to cast his ballots in South Oxfordshire, but had to be turned away as he could not produce a valid form of identification.
It is understood that he was later allowed to vote.
Portsmouth: Guildhall fills
Councillors and their colleagues are filling Portsmouth Guildhall as vote verification continues.
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