Historic moment for Worthing as Labour secures stunning council majority

Back in 2017, Beccy Cooper won a by-election for Marine, making her Labour’s first borough councillor in Worthing for four decades.

Over the last few years Labour has chipped away at the Conservatives’ large majority.

Fast forward to May 2022 and her party took another four seats from the Conservatives and one from the Lib Dems to finally secure a majority.

Labour now has 23 seats compared to the Conservatives’ 12, with one Lib Dem and one Independent.

Today it gained two Castle seats, Gaisford, Marine, Northbrook from the Conservatives and Tarring from the Lib Dems.

While in power Worthing’s Conservatives have initiated plenty of worthy projects and many of these will likely continue. But the town has clearly voted for change and we await what we hope will be a bold vision for the future of Worthing from Labour, building on its many strengths as well as addressing some of its challenges.

The result would also appear to send a message to the Conservative Party in Westminster still mired in Partygate allegations.

Here’s our liveblog coverage from earlier today.

Reaction to the results to follow.