Title

LEGAL

High Court overturns election result

Swindon Council has welcomed a High Court decision to overturn an election in which the wrong candidate was elected as a councillor.

Swindon Council has welcomed a High Court decision to overturn an election in which the wrong candidate was elected as a councillor. 

Highworth had a voting population of around 6,400 before the town council poll in May and only 2,477 ballot papers were issued.

However, more than 40,000 votes were counted and the Conservative candidate Pauline Webster was declared the winner.

A legal challenge was immediately launched, claiming that block votes for the Conservative candidates had been counted for each of them rather than split between them.

The High Court has now overturned the election result.

A Swindon Council spokesman said: 'We have carried out a thorough lessons learned exercise in the wake of May's local elections to ensure this does not happen again.'

LEGAL

Why empowered councils can inspire the electorate

By Sir Bob Neill | 18 March 2026

Devolving more funding is the answer to improving the lacklustre turnout at local elections, says Sir Bob Neill.

LEGAL

New chief executive joins borough

By Martin Ford | 12 March 2026

Andrew Donaldson has taken up the role of permanent chief executive at Halton BC this month.

LEGAL

Getting ahead of the local election results

By Ed Hammond | 04 March 2026

Prior to the publication of a new practice guide from the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny, Ed Hammond considers how council officers can prepare for a ver...

LEGAL

After the elections: Crafting a new council

By Martin Ford | 04 March 2026

With councils bracing for the upheaval of political change in May’s local elections, Martin Ford spoke to two authorities about the challenges they have face...

Popular articles by William Eichler