The 2023 local council election has seen Brightlingsea’s sitting Tendring councillors retain their seats.

Independents Mick Barry, Jayne Chapman and Graham Steady will now represent the town on Tendring District Council for another four years.

The three won the vote comfortably, securing over 1,400 votes more than the other 10 candidates put together on a turnout of 34.22%.

A recount will take place later today for the last ward to be declared – Lawford, Manningtree and Mistley – where the Tories and Independents are fighting for the three available seats.

Even without that result being declared, the Conservatives look to have lost control of the council as they currently have 18 councillors, Independents 16, Labour 8, Liberal Democrat 2 and Tendring First 1. It’s likely that a coalition of former opposition parties will now take over the council.

Brightlingsea Town Council results will be published later today.

The full results were (denotes sitting councillor):

Mick Barry* (Ind) 1,411, Jayne Chapman* (Ind) 1,309; Graham Steady* (Ind) 1,081; Mat Court (Ind) 561; John Carr (Con) 395; Ben Harvey (Green) 264; Jenna Barton (Lab) 251; Nigel Dyson (Con) 217; Harry Prosser (Lab) 148; Margaret Saunders (Lab) 188; Bobby McWilliams (Con) 180; James Jefferies (Lib Dem) 83; Stuart Morgan (Lib Dem) 76.

32 ballot papers were rejected.

Note: Article edited after Tendring Council corrected the turnout figure on its official election dashboard from over 89% to 34.33%.