A review of Novembers council by election results

MiddleEnglander has excelled again here is the monthly review

There were 24 by-elections during November with 8 (33%) changing hands. The results can be summarised by:

Party	Candidates	Defended	Retained	Gained	Lost	Won	retention rate
Conservative	23	10	8	3	2	11	80%
Labour	21	11	7		4	7	64%
Liberal Democrat	14	1		1	1	1	0%
UKIP	17			2		2
SNP	2			1		1
Plaid Cymru	1
Social Democrat		1					0%
Green	13
Independent *	12	1	1	1	1	2	100%
TUSAC	6
Community Action	1
No Description	1
Total	111	24	16	8	8	24	67%

* 12 Independent candidates contested 6 by-elections

Conservatives gained 3 seats, 2 from Labour and 1 from a Liberal Democrat whilst losing a seat each to UKIP and SNP
- regained single member ward in Cornwall, Mevagissey lost to Labour in 2013 on a swing ~9½% since then
- gained the second seat in Melton, Asfordby from Labour on a swing of ~11½% since 2011
- gained second seat in Wokingham. Bulmershe from a Liberal Democrat sitting as Independent on a ~9% swing from Labour who won third seat in May 2014
- lost Medway, Peninsula to UKIP on same day as parliamentary by-election with a 15% UKIP majority over Conservative having not contested ward in 2011
- lost Aberdeenshire Troup to SNP in a 3 member ward electing SNP, Independent & Conservative in 2012 on a first preference 2¼% swing to SNP

Labour did not gain any seats but lost 2 to the Conservatives and one each to a Liberal Democrat and an Independent in
- Cornwall, Mevagissey and Melton, Asfordby to the Conservatives
- Cambridge, Queen Edith's to a Liberal Democrat, who now hold all 3 seats, on a pro Labour 3½% swing since May 2014 but 5% from Labour since 2012
- Swansea, Upland to an Independent, former Liberal Democrat ward councillor and parliamentary candidate who lost his seat in 2012 by 10 votes

Apart from Medway, Peninsula, UKIP also gained East Yorkshire, Bridlington Central & Old Town following death of a long established Social Democrat (SDP)