Green light expected for local elections to go ahead in North East Lincolnshire in May this year

                                     

Grimsby Town Hall - elections set to be held in May this year

WORD is that local council elections will be held this spring in North East Lincolnshire.

If they do go ahead, as scheduled, in May, opinion polls indicate that there could be numerous gains for Reform UK.

It is understood that both the Conservative and Labour parties - and possibly the Liberal-Democrats - had considered seeking authority  to cancel the elections to spare ballot box embarrassment.

Impending local government reorganisation would  provide the required pretext.

However, at a meeting of group leaders and NELC officers, it is understood agreement was reached that the traditional democratic process should prevail. 

Reform UK currently has just one representative on North East Lincolnshire Council - Oliver Freeston (Croft Baker) who defected from the Conservatives in 2024.

The current 42-seat political composition of the council is as follows:

Conservative – 18

Labour – 15

Liberal Democrat – 3

Independent for North East Lincolnshire – 5

Reform UK – 1