The 2022 election took place under new election boundaries, with the number of councillors remaining the same. The Liberal Democrats had controlled the council since the previous election in 2018, and increased their majority, ending on 48 seats. The Green Party formed the largest opposition group on five seats, with the Conservative Party dropping from 11 seats to 1 seat; they would subsequently lose their final seat in a 2024 by-election.
Background
History
Result of the 2018 borough election
The thirty-two London boroughs were established in 1965 by the London Government Act 1963. They are the principal authorities in Greater London and have responsibilities including education, housing, planning, highways, social services, libraries, recreation, waste, environmental health and revenue collection. Some of the powers are shared with the Greater London Authority, which also manages passenger transport, police and fire.[1]
Since its formation, Richmond upon Thames has been under Conservative control, Liberal Democrat control, SDP–Liberal Alliance control and no overall control. The Liberal Democrats regained control from the Conservatives in the most recent election in 2018. They won 39 seats with 46.7% of the vote across the borough while the Conservatives won 11 seats with 37.6% of the vote and the Greens won 4.5% of the vote. The Labour Party won 10.4% of the vote but did not win any seats.[2][3] The leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Gareth Roberts, became council leader following the election.[4]
Council term
In 2019, Mona Adams, the Liberal Democrat councillor for East Sheen, died.[5] A by-election was held to fill her seat on 19 July 2019, which was won by the Liberal Democrat candidate Julia Cambridge.[6] Cambridge was a designer who had unsuccessfully contested the seat alongside Adams in the 2018 election.[7] In July 2020, Dylan Bexendale, the Green Party councillor for Hampton Wick, resigned citing personal reasons.[8] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a by-election to fill his seat could not be held until 6 May 2021 alongside the 2021 London mayoral election and London Assembly election. The election was won by the Liberal Democrat candidate Petra Fleming.[9]
As with most London boroughs, Richmond upon Thames was electing its councillors under new boundaries decided by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, which it produced after a period of consultation. The number of councillors remained at 54, but the commission produced new boundaries following a period of consultation, with eighteen three-member wards.[10]
Electoral process
Richmond upon Thames, like other London borough councils, elects all of its councillors at once every four years. The previous election took place in 2018. The election took place by multi-member first-past-the-post voting, with each ward being represented by two or three councillors. Electors had as many votes as there are councillors to be elected in their ward, with the top two or three being elected.
All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) living in London aged 18 or over were entitled to vote in the election. People who live at two addresses in different councils, such as university students with different term-time and holiday addresses, were entitled to be registered for and vote in elections in both local authorities.[11] Voting in-person at polling stations took place from 7:00 to 22:00 on election day, and voters will be able to apply for postal votes or proxy votes in advance of the election.[11]
