Havering council still to declare local election result as recount begins

A London council has still not finished its local elections count, four days after the polls closed.

Havering Borough Council in north east London is due to begin a recount for three seats in the Rainham and Wennington ward on Monday night.

A spokesman for the council said: “Due to the small number in difference in the votes for Rainham and Wennington Ward, two recounts were asked for from the parties involved.

“A further recount was asked for and a decision was made in conjunction with the candidates to do this on Monday at the town hall, 6pm, as the counts had been taking place all through the night.”

A spokesman for the council added that the only costs incurred by the recount would be for staffing, which could not be easily estimated as “it will depend on how long the count takes”.

Whichever party takes the three seats in the Rainham and Wennington ward, there will be no party with overall control of the council once a result is announced.

The council has 55 seats in total, with the Conservatives having taken 20 seats so far in the borough.

Labour have meanwhile won nine, and residents and ratepayers 23.

Election results for the majority of English councils were completed in the early hours of Friday morning, with many others being announced throughout the day.

In London, the Conservatives suffered overnight defeats in Westminster, Barnet and Wandsworth, losing all three councils to Labour majorities.

In Wales and Scotland, results of the local poll were also announced throughout Friday.

In Northern Ireland, assembly election results were declared over the weekend, with Sinn Fein returned as the largest Stormont party.