Labour have won a decisive majority in Tameside with 51 of 57 seats across the 19 wards.
The Conservatives and Unionist Party were the only other party to be elected, taking the remaining six seats.
Previously, the council consisted of 47 Labour members, eight Conservatives, one Green Party member and one Independent (previously Labour).
Council Leader of the Labour Party, Ged Cooney, said: “It’s been a fantastic evening. Not only did we gain from the Conservatives – we actually gained from the Greens.
“We’re a party that is environmentally serious – but how do you become green and not lose jobs? If we want to avoid what happened with the miners, industry change needs to accommodate workers.
“People think we’re doing a damn good job. You can contest that in the polls in a year’s time, but for now – it’s our day.”
A total of 118 candidates stood in the borough’s first ‘all-out’ election in 20 years – whereby all three councillors per each ward were elected, rather than just one.
Among some familiar faces attending the count were Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Reyner, MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, and another party high-flier, Andrew Gwyn MP.
More than 140 volunteers counted votes through the night with the final results delivered shortly after 6:30am.
Labour had particular successes in Hyde Werneth and Ashton Hyde where they gained a seat in each from the Conservatives, taking the majority in both wards. A former Labour-turned-independent seat in Stalybridge North was also reclaimed by the red tide.
Stalybridge South was the only ward to secure three Conservative seats, and the only one they maintained a majority in.
Conservative Party Leader of the Council, Doreen Dickinson, said: “I’m happy I have been re-elected.
“I’m very glad that the public continue to place their faith in me and I hope that I never let them down.”
Other candidates for election included 21 Green, three Liberal Democrats, one independent, one Women’s Equality Party member and one for the Official Monster Raving Loony Party member.
Many issues were in contention across the borough, including the proposed Godley Green Garden Village, the development of Stalybridge’s former Hartshead power station and its town centre, what will happen to Ashton Market, and the regeneration of Hyde. (Details previously reported by MM here)
In these regards, several wards were key – Stalybridge North, Dukinfield/Stalybridge, Hyde Godley, Hyde Werneth and Ashton Waterloo looked set to be keenly contested.
Dukinfield/Stalybridge maintained its three Labour seats following a controversial and at times personal campaign atmosphere in the ward.
Meanwhile, Hyde Godley and Ashton Waterloo saw the Greens lose their seat to Labour.
Speaking to Mancunian Matters before the completion of the count, The Green Party’s Lee Huntbach described his experience as the only councillor from the party to sit on Tameside Council
He said: “All I’ve wanted to do was get the Green agenda on the Council. I’ve had to develop a healthy siege mentality.”
A remarkable occurrence came with the election of Hamza Aslam as Parish Councillor for Mossley Parish Cheshire ward at just 18-years-old.
Parish coun Aslam said: “I think it sends a message that young people, despite how much this government tries to put us down, can go into politics on a local level, on a national level, within a party or within your school or community – young people need to up and start getting their voices heard.
“Just ask the question – why? Why not? We’ve had services cut, we’ve had every opportunity taken away from us; we need to ask the question, why has this been taken away from us? Youth clubs have been cut… we deserve better.”
When asked at around 3am how he planned to celebrate his election, Parish coun Aslam said: “Sleep. We start on Sunday, so in two days’ time – we’re back straight away.”
The final upset of the night was a split ballot in Hyde Godley after several close recounts.
The draw for the third seat came down to the same number of votes for both candidates. Lots were drawn and the Conservatives retained their seat with a stroke of fortune.
The final counts were:
Labour 44
Labour and Cooperative 7
Conservative 6
Main image: Angela Rayner celebrates with the three winning Labour candidates in Ashton St Michael’s, alongside Tameside Labour leader Ged Cooney
