Fight for control of Town Hall

Published: 29 April 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

ALL three of the main parties are aiming to win outright control of the Town Hall next Thursday after four years of a Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition.

Turnout in local elections is expected to be at an increased level because the boroughwide poll to elect three councillors in each council ward will take place on the same day as the General Election.

In May 2006, the Lib Dems won the most seats but did not get enough members elected to win outright control. They split power with the Tories but that working relationship has now expired and allies have become enemies on the election trail.

Votes will be cast next Thursday and counted at Haverstock School in Chalk Farm on Friday afternoon. As the New Journal reported last week, the Haverstock ward vote will be delayed until Tuesday May 25 following the sudden death of Lib Dem councillor Syed Hoque.

By then, the parties will know who has a majority at the Town Hall or who is in with a fair chance of securing one. 

It has traditionally been a battleground between Labour and the Lib Dems.

A test for the Lib Dems this time will be whether they expand their influence in areas like King’s Cross, while protecting the seats they took from Labour four years ago in Camden Town, Cantelowes and Kentish Town. 

They want to show that they have not “overachieved” in the past. In neighbouring Islington after taking control a decade ago, the Lib Dems lost of a wave of seats back to Labour while trying to protect their power base in 2006.