Harrow Council is now under the control of The Conservatives for the first time in 12 years after the vote count this afternoon following the local elections.
The Conservative Party won the majority of seats (31 out of 55) in the election giving them political control at Harrow Council.
Big news on #Harrow with final results Conservatives 31 Labour 24. Net gain of 7 seats for @Conservatives & outright control. #ToryGain #@HAConservatives @harrow_council pic.twitter.com/hzf86phcEv
— Bob Blackman (@BobBlackman) May 6, 2022
Voters across the borough went to the polls to vote for their local councillors on Thursday, 5 May, with Labour losing out to the Tories in a closely contested election. Harrow Council revealed the overall turnout was 37.85%.
Full results for each ward in Harrow
Constituents in Harrow will be delighted that @HAConservatives have bucked the trend and @harrow_council now has a Conservative majority. Congratulations and we look forward to the service improvements @Hillingdon_Tory can take for granted. https://t.co/GrO1CvpQMf
— David Simmonds CBE MP (@DSimmonds_RNP) May 6, 2022
The Conservative party last ran Harrow Council from 2006-2010.
Cllr Susan Hall, elected councillor for Hatch End, told Harrow Online: “Thrilled to bits that we are now running Harrow Council. The hard work starts now, there is so much to do cleaning up the mess Labour have left!”
Bob Blackman, Conservative MP for Harrow East spoke to Harrow Online saying: “Brilliant result for us gaining 7 seats & control. A victory for the residents of Harrow.”
Newly elected Cllr Matthew Goodwin-Freeman from Hatch End Conservatives, said: “It is a fantastic achievement. Labour have neglected Harrow for too long and residents have spoken. Harrow deserves better and it now will get that – a Conservative-run Council that puts residents first! Building a transparent, accountable, honest Harrow Council that works tirelessly for residents. The hard work starts now and I cannot wait to begin.”
Stanmore Cllr, Marilyn Ashton, told Harrow Online: “‘We are delighted to have taken control of Harrow Council. Now the work begins to restore the pride people should have to live and Harrow. I am determined to draw a line under the ghastly tower blocks that have dominated the skyline under Labour. The Borough desperately needs cleaning up, our local shops will benefit from the one hour free parking we will introduce and we must change the culture of the way the Council operates and treat people as valued customers.”
Deanna Keene, Conservative Party Member & Activist, Founder & Co-Chair of The Conservative Friends of the Arts, said: “I am very happy that the constituency ward that I live in, Kenton East, has finally turned fully blue with 3 elected councillors and also winning back control of Harrow Council after so many years. All three candidates, Nitesh Hirani, Chetna Halai & Sam Samaria have campaigned tirelessly over the past 6 months and really deserve being elected. I know them all personally and feel extremely proud of them and I am looking forward to celebrating with them and the rest of the Harrow East elected councillors.
“Bob Blackman MP for Harrow East is extremely hardworking and has helped to mastermind the successful campaign in Harrow. As you may be aware, Sri Lankan Tamils constitute nearly 15% of the Harrow population. Indians constitute 26% and is higher than Brent, Ealing and Hounslow. David Cameron, when he was PM, won over a large proportion of Sri Lankans by visiting the capital, Jaffna and also donating books to local libraries. It is also apparent that Boris also fully supports them. Harrow has one of the most diverse populations in London with at least 88 different people languages spoken by its residents. I feel blessed and proud to be part of the area.
“I know that the local council results in Harrow has not been the case in most of the London constituencies with Barnet, Wandsworth and Westminster losing control to Labour after many years. 44 years Conservatives have held on to Wandsworth council. An extremely shocking and disappointing result indeed!
“If it had been the general elections we could have ended up with a hung Parliament again as Conservative Party would have been 48 seats short!
“We may have lost 400 seats nationally but I am hopeful that in the 2024 general election things will have changed and there will be improvements.”
