"Getting stuck in" - Reform UK's new Harton councillor Katie Groom hails 'amazing' election battle
Reform UK secures a decisive win in the Harton by-election, securing a significant majority over Labour.
New-elected Reform UK councillor Katie Groom says she can’t wait to “get stuck in” after romping to victory in the Harton by-election.
Reform UK managed to successfully defend the council seat with Cllr Groom winning with 628 votes, a 274-vote majority over Labour’s Neil Maxwell, who took 354 votes.
Green Party candidate Kathryn Kaupa came third with 312 votes followed by independent candidates Karen Myers and Phil Brown, who won 285 votes and 119 votes respectively.
The Conservatives came sixth with 57 votes and the Liberal Democrats came last with 24 votes.
Newly-elected Cllr Groom said she was happy to be joining the two existing Reform UK councillors representing Harton, and thanked them for their support during the by-election campaign.
The Harton councillor, who was previously unsuccessful as a Reform UK candidate for Fellgate and Hedworth in May elections this year, said it had been “amazing” speaking to Harton voters on the doorstep and added the result showed a “vote of confidence” in the party locally.
As a candidate Katie Groom previously outlined various pledges including how she would use her “lived experience of supporting children and adults with additional needs” to advocate for families.
Speaking after the result on Thursday night, she said her confidence, experience with social media and previous experience “being centre stage” fronting a band would help her transition to the councillor role.
The contest in Harton ward followed the resignation of councillor Alex Clarke, who was elected in the landmark ‘all-out’ South Tyneside Council elections in May, which saw Reform UK sweep to power winning 41 seats.
However, the Reform UK councillor resigned from the post weeks after the election victory following reports of offensive comments made on a podcast, which Clarke described as a comedy‑based show, and the comments were later slammed by Reform UK council leader Cllr Paul Mackings.
Cllr Groom said she was “over the moon” and looking forward to “getting stuck in” with local issues raised by residents, with antisocial behaviour and fly-tipping being some issues mentioned on the doors.
She added: “I’m just so grateful and thankful that the voters have put their trust in me and to give me a chance to be a good councillor for them.”
Neil Maxwell, a former Labour councillor who lost his Harton seat in the all-out local elections in May, coming behind Reform, independents and the Green Party, came second in the Harton by-election.
The Labour candidate reflected on the party’s “very active campaign” and thanked those involved, adding that the “Labour and the Greens vote adds up to more than Reform’s vote which is a good start”.
Mr Maxwell said he hoped to stand again to be a Harton councillor in May local elections next year and noted things were moving in the right direction for Labour, praising new Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
Despite coming third in the by-election, the Green Party still remain the official opposition group on South Tyneside Council.
The party’s Harton by-election candidate Kathryn Kaupa said she was “disappointed” by the result but “incredibly proud of the positive campaign we’ve run and deeply grateful to everyone who supported us”.
She added: “Over the past few weeks I’ve met so many wonderful people who care passionately about Harton and want to see our community thrive.
“That doesn’t end tonight. I’ll continue working alongside our Green councillors and campaigners to stand up for Harton and for communities across South Tyneside.”
The total turnout for Harton ward on August 6 was 28.3 per cent, with around 1,780 votes cast out of a total electorate of 6,288.
The political share of South Tyneside Council after the by-election is now 41 Reform UK councillors, 10 Green Party councillors, two independents and one Labour.