Ashfield Independents sweep to another landslide win in Ashfield Council elections

The political group, led by Coun Jason Zadrozny, has won 32 of the 35 seats – two more than it did four years ago – while the Conservatives won two seats and Labour one.

The count began with a concerning result for the party as former deputy leader and cabinet member Coun David Martin lost his Underwood seat to Conservative candidate Dawn Justice.

Labour also picked up a gain in Carsic, taking the seat from the Independents after Cathy Mason was successfully elected.

However, the mood changed as more counts began to feed in and the group went on to secure the necessary seats to form a majority slightly before 6am.

The majority was confirmed when Coun Tom Hollis, who last year was convicted in court for careless driving and harassment offences, retained his Huthwaite and Brierley seat alongside new councillor Paul Grafton.

The group also made gains in Hucknall by securing all seats in Hucknall South, Central and North, with two gains from the Tories in Hucknall West.

Phil Rostance secured his return to the chamber as the only Tory in Hucknall West.

Speaking after the election victory was confirmed, Coun Zadrozny said: “I’m absolutely delighted.

"People will be waking up to see Labour having a fantastic day across the country but not in Ashfield.

“We’ve done local, community politics and the residents of Ashfield have returned us for another four years – I’m really delighted.”

Cheryl Butler, a Labour council leader until 2018, reacted to her party’s election results in the area by saying she feared a lot of the results were down to “apathy”.

She said: “In some of the wards, turnout was down to 25 per cent – how do we get people out to vote in these elections?

“Labour has done really well nationally and I think for us it’s about some of the vote percentage gains we have made.

“Ashfield is unique with the Ashfield Independents. I think if it was just the two traditional main parties fighting out here, it would have been a different story.”