Sheffield by-election result: LibDem teenager beats Reform candidate by just 10 votes in Woodhouse ward

LibDem candidate Willis Marshall won the seat in the city’s Woodhouse ward by just 10 votes over Reform UK candidate Andy Hizzard. Labour candidate Saj Ghafur was beaten into third place, 368 votes behind the LibDems.

Reform called for a recount but the result stood after the second count. The party's predecessor UKIP lost its last council seats in 2019 but Reform campaigners will still be buoyed by such a close result.

The winner was understandably a little taken aback by his victory. He only stood for election for the first time in May, coming fifth in the council's Birley ward.

University of Sheffield politics and international relations student Willis said: "I feel honoured and really proud to win.

"The main issue people were talking about during the election was the cut in the winter fuel allowance and the treatment of old age pensioners by the government.

"People voted for change in the general election and so they felt it was more of the same - the politicians had a different-coloured tie and more of the same policies.

"People don't feel listened to by the council, something I hope to rectify now that I'm a councillor."

He said the feeling that people weren't being listened to was also what prompted him to stand for election.

The main issue Willis wants to concentrate on is the need for regeneration of Woodhouse town centre.

"It's something I'd be quite keen to look into, it's fallen into neglect over recent years," he said.

He said that members of the public have also spoken to him about potholes, damaged road signage, fly tipping and blocked drains.

Willis, who is from Birley, said that he is heavily involved in his local community. He is a scout leader in Intake and a member of City of Sheffield Pipe Band, based at Beaver Hill Road fire training centre.

LibDem group leader Coun Shaffaq Mohammed said: "Local MPs and Labour councillors in this town have to listen. It was previously a very strong Labour seat that had over 57% of the votes and we have increased our vote by five times.

"I am very proud of Willis for bringing some youth and dynamism in. He has got interests in that community.

"He'll work hard and people will be impressed that someone as young will be representing them in the town hall."

Coun Mohammed thanked everyone who voted in the election, however they cast their vote.

Labour will be hugely disappointed not to have returned to three councillors in the ward. Paul Wood, whose death in September prompted the by-election, had held Woodhouse three times for the party before he defected to the breakaway Sheffield Community Councillors Group last year.

The party campaigned hard in the ward. A picture on council leader Tom Hunt's Twitter/X feed recently featured a picture of a large group of councillors and supporters out on the streets in Handsworth alongside all five city MPs.

The result means Labour still have 36 seats, just eight ahead of the LibDems. Greens remain on 14, the Community Councillors, who did not stand a candidate, are down to five members and there is one independent.

WOODHOUSE WARD BY-ELECTION FULL RESULT

Joshua Andrew Crapper, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, 56 votes;

Saj Ghafur, Labour Party, 650;

Samuel Hemsley, Conservative Party, 153;

Andy Hizzard, Reform UK, 1,008;

Matthew Leese, Social Democratic Party, 33;

Willis James Marshall, Liberal Democrats, 1,018;

Hannah Kate Nicklin, Green Party, 168.

Turnout: 3,092 votes (24.16%)