Four council seats in Peterborough won by fewer than 10 votes

The outcome of this year’s local elections in Peterborough came down to fewer than 10 votes in four wards.

Nail-bitingly tight margins saw upsets in Dogsthorpe, Eye, Thorney and Newborough, Park and Paston Walton wards.

Angus Ellis, who previously lost his Peterborough City Council (PCC) seat in 2021, will represent Labour in Park again after beating the Conservative candidate Murtaza Munir by just two votes.

The Conservatives won Park from Labour last year, with Muhammed Asif briefly representing it for the party before stepping down.

In Paston and Walton, Conservative Alex Rafiq unseated current mayor and councillor of 28 years, Nick Sandford, a Liberal Democrat.

It was the only Conservative gain of the night.

In Dogsthorpe, Labour made another gain – this time by just six votes.

Jason McNally ousted incumbent Ishfaq Hussain, who served a single term with the Conservatives.

Finally, Peterborough First candidate Mark Ormstan won in Eye, Thorney and Newborough, taking the seat from the Conservatives with just nine votes more.

Former council leader John Peach was his Conservative rival, running in the seat left vacant by Nigel Simons, who stepped down.

Overall turnout in Peterborough was 30.32 per cent.

Fletton and Stanground had the lowest turnout of an individual ward, with 22.78 per cent.