Ward seat was vacated by independent councillor after he failed to turn up to meetings, reports Simon Allin, Local Democracy Reporter

*Peter Fallart, newly-elected Conservative councillor for Bush Hill Park*

Enfield’s Conservatives have scored a convincing by-election win in Bush Hill Park and boosted their majority in the ward.

Tory candidate Peter Fallart romped home with 55% of the vote in Thursday’s by-election – up eight percentage points on the party’s ward result in the May 2018 local elections and up 2.8 percentage points on a previous Bush Hill Park by-election in November 2018.

On a disappointing night for Labour, its candidate Nia Stevens secured just 28.5% of the vote, virtually unchanged from Labour’s performance at the last ward by-election but down almost 15 percentage points on the 2018 local elections.

The Tory campaign focused on opposing Enfield Council’s low-traffic neighbourhood schemes and proposed Green Belt development, while calling for a return to weekly bin collections.

Newly-elected ward councillor Peter Fallart said: “I am very humbled by the result. I am honoured to have been elected by the residents of Bush Hill Park ward to represent them, and I promise to work hard for all residents, whether they voted for me or not.

“Thank you to everyone who helped with the campaign, especially my agent Adrian Crowshaw and ward colleague James Hockney.”

The win in Bush Hill Park – in a ballot triggered by the departure of independent councillor and former Conservative William Coleshill – marks the second by-election triumph for the Enfield Tories this year. In May, the party took a seat in Chase ward with a big swing away from Labour.

Tory group leader Joanne Laban said: “It is brilliant to welcome Peter Fallart back to the Enfield Conservative group team. Peter will do a fantastic job for the people of Bush Hill Park ward.

“Yesterday, the residents of Bush Hill Park firmly rejected the current Labour administration. Residents are unhappy with the way Enfield Council is being run, and the result more than proved that.

“I am extremely happy with the win in Bush Hill Park. Thank you to everyone involved with the campaign.”

Council leader Nesil Caliskan said: “The Bush Hill Park by-election was called after Will Coleshill, elected as the Conservative candiate [in 2018, before he was suspended by the party], failed to turn up to any council meetings for the past six months while continuing to claim his councillor allowance. He failed to fulfil his duties to serve Enfield residents.”Enfield Labour’s candiate ran a great positive campaign in Bush Hill Park.

“There was a very low turnout in the Bush Hill Park by-election, less than 30%, so the result isn’t a resounding win for the Conservatives. This council seat was Conservative to begin with, so the result is no great surprise and the number of votes for the two parties remained pretty much unchanged since the last Bush Hill Park by election.”

The Local Democracy Reporting Service approached Will Coleshill for comment.

Full results for the Bush Hill Park by-election:

Ade Adetula (Liberal Democrats): 225 votes
John Dolan (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition): 27 votes
Peter Fallart (Conservative Party): 1,694 votes ELECTED
Benjamin Maydon (Green Party): 233 votes
Clive Morrison (Taking the Initiative Party): 15 votes
Nia Stevens (Labour Party): 875 votes

Turnout: 29.1%

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