Some of the faces are new but the political parties are unchanged after the local elections. The parts of three council wards that make up Fitzrovia — Bloombury in Camden, and Marylebone High Street and West End in Westminster — have been restocked with men and women of the same political colours as they were before.
In Camden’s Bloomsbury ward there are three Labour councillors. Adam Harrison was re-elected and polled more votes than any other candidate, just like he did four years’ ago when he was first elected. He is joined by newly elected Labour councillors Sabrina Francis and Rishi Madlani.
In the City of Westminster’s West End ward three Conservative councillors were elected. Councillor Glenys Roberts was re-elected, and Paul Church was newly elected and polled the most votes in the ward.
Councillor Jonathan Glanz was re-elected but got fewer votes than his fellow Conservative colleagues. A number of residents no doubt refused to give him their vote after he made remarks about residents association members having time on their hands and nothing better to do than complain. He also did an anti-canvassing job on himself by making remarks about social housing tenants in his ward on the Conservative Home blog.
Glanz made these remarks while he was cabinet member for housing at Westminster City Council. The leader of the council Philippa Roe suggested he resign. He promptly did.
Glanz said at the time “I am happy to stand on my record and let the voters decide.” Clearly many did just that.
In the strongly Conservative Marylebone High Street ward there was little change. Iain Bott and Ian Rowley were both re-elected, and Karen Scaborough was newly elected.