Conservatives keep majority at Adur council despite Labour and Green gains

There were a total of 14 seats up for grabs and the Conservatives held seven.

A Green gain in St. Nicolas means there are now two Green councillors in the ward, with Julian Shinn joining Gabe Crisp on the council.

The decision of Conservative council leader Neil Parkin to switch seats from St Nicholas to Hillside proved a good one in hindsight, but he was re-elected just 12 votes ahead of the Labour challenger.

Labour held three seats and gained two seats from the Conservatives (Southlands and Southwick Green).

Meanwhile Marine stayed Independent as Julia Watts was elected.

This means the Conservatives have 16 seats, Labour nine, two Greens and two Independents.

Mr Parkin said: “It was close but we threw everything at it, we’re not complacent.”

Mr Parkin, who has been leader since 2000, said that winning his seat by just 12 votes was ‘a close one’.

“Personally, a majority of one is enough for me – though I would have liked more than 12” he said.

“It’s national isn’t it? You’ve only got to look across the country at what’s happened – we’re punished for what they do at Westminster.”

The council leader said that while ‘partygate’ was a major topic of conversation on the doorstep, so too was local housing developments.

“I know in Shoreham some people were vexed by these flats going up on the Harbour,” Mr Parkin said.

“It’s easy not to want flats going up near you when you’ve got a nice place to live in and you’re not homeless in a bed and breakfast somewhere.

“When you’re running a council you have to make tough decisions sometimes.”

He said he ‘wasn’t complacent’ about Labour gains and would be watching the situation closely.

“All we need is a Labour government for a couple of years and there won’t be a Labour council anywhere, including Worthing,” he said.

In terms of the future direction for the council, Mr Parkin said the focus would be on making Adur a ‘better, nicer place to live’.

He gave special mention to environmental projects which are already under way, including the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project; restoration and rewilding of Pad Farm and New Salts Farm which are now council owned; and rolling out high-speed broadband, bike shares, and car shares.

“We’re certainly not sitting still,” he said.

Adur District Council’s Labour group leader Lee Cowen, who retained his Mash Barn seat, said the Labour party’s achievements in the district had been ‘overlooked’ in light of the historic Worthing win.

“It’s the best that we’ve ever done in recent memory,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

“It was a remarkable result and in every single ward we contested we upped our vote considerably.

“Neil Parkin moved from his seat in St. Nicolas to contest a safe seat where we got ever so close.”

Labour had more votes across Adur than the ruling Conservatives – something Mr Cowen believes is a first.

“We brought at least three wards into very close play that we could win in 2024 and we will be going for it, absolutely,” he said.

He believes the national picture, including Partygate, did have an influence on the results but was not the only factor.

“To simplify it like that – that it was just about the national picture – that’s not true,” he said.

“All these high rise developments that are happening under this administration, it is really noticed by people and the [current administration] seem to be allowing it.”

The Green Party meanwhile, have celebrated winning Mr Parkin’s former seat in the St. Nicolas ward.

Julian Shinn is now the second Green councillor at ADC – He joins Gabe Crisp who is also a councillor in St. Nicolas ward.

Mr Shinn said: “I’m humbled and delighted to be elected as a councillor for St. Nicolas, by such a big majority and with such an amazing turnout.

“I’m really looking forward to working alongside my Green Party colleague to build kinder, safer, and more sustainable communities in St. Nicolas and Adur.

“I want to thank the people who voted for me. Thank you for sharing our Green vision for the future. Thank you for believing in change. Thank you for choosing to hope.

“And for the people who didn’t vote for me, I promise to work hard as your local councillor, to help you individually whenever I can, and to listen to your concerns in these challenging times.”

He also thanked Green Party campaigners for helping him get elected.