The Ashfield Independents claimed all but one Hucknall seat as they swept to another commanding victory at this year's District Council elections.

The Party backed up their 2019 success, when they won 30 out of 35 seats, by winning a staggering 32 of 35 to comfortably retain control of the council.

Phil Rostance of the Conservative Party was the only person to deny the Ashfield Independents from claiming every Hucknall seat. However, he was made to sweat as a full recount was called but after this had taken place it was confirmed he'd held off Paul Craddock by 18 votes. Phil's Dad Kevin Rostance, also standing for the Conservative Party, finished between the pair in fourth, losing the seat he'd held since 2015.

The evening had started well for the Conservatives as they gained Underwood from the Ashfield Independents with Dawn Justice defeating former cabinet member David Martin by 37 votes.

However, as the evening went on, it became clear that there would be little else for them to celebrate. Hucknall West had been seen as their safest seats, but Dave Shaw and Ian Briggs finished in the top two leaving Rostance Junior as their only Hucknall representative.

Labour endured an even more disastrous evening claiming just a sole seat in the Carsic ward. They came up short by just under 100 votes in Hucknall South and 200 votes in Hucknall Central which were seen as their best opportunities to record further victories.

Defeat in Hucknall South meant they lost the two seats they'd held prior to the election however this wasn't overly surprising as both Lauren Mitchell and Keir Morrison who'd held those seats since 2015 opted not to stand this time around. Veteran Trevor Locke topped the voting despite changing wards and will work with Oliver Hay who was unable to be at the count as his wife had gone into labour. 

In other parts of Hucknall, John Wilmott led the way in North ward, notching up over 1300 votes as the Ashfield Independents held all three seats comfortably.

In Hucknall Central, Nick Parvin, who was only elected during a by-election in November, retained his seat to avoid the ignominy of being one of the shortest serving councillors in Ashfield's history whilst Lee Waters finished second despite switching wards, having served North Ward for the last four years.

Elsewhere in the district, Tom Hollis, who had faced calls to resign last year after his criminal convictions, retained his seat in Huthwaite & Brierley. And former Hucknall Councillor Chris Baron failed to win in Jacksdale & Westwood.

For the full Hucknall results please see below.

Central

Nick Parvin (AI) 860

Lee Waters (AI) 826

Ria Cash (Labour) 627

John Wilkinson (Labour) 529

Jaimie McPherson (Conservative) 234

James Harvey (Lib Dems) 82

AI hold

Turnout: 30.73%

South

Trevor Locke (AI)- 845

Oliver Hay (AI)- 707

Stuart Bell (Labour) - 634

Dave Randall (Conservatives) - 311

AI gains two seats from Labour.

Turnout: 28.75%

West

Dave Shaw (Ash Ind) 1070

Ian Briggs (Ash Ind) 987

Phil Rostance (Conservatives) 896

Kevin Rostance (Conservatives) 881

Paul Craddock (Ash Ind) 878

Richard Speight (Labour) 724

Jan Lees (Conservative) 699

James Meikle (Breakthrough) 153

Turnout 30.65%

AI gains two seats from Conservatives, one Conservative hold.

North

John Wilmott (Ash Ind) 1371

Anna Ellis (Ash Ind) 1277

Gordon Mann (Ash Ind) 1218

Patrick Ayers (Labour) 892

David Warwick (Labour) 815

Martin Howes (Lib Dem) 388

Jake Wright (Conservatives) 368

Steve Wright (Conservatives) 365

Kevin Stevenson (Lib Dem) 145

Turnout 33.52%

AI hold.

For the full results across the whole district, please click here.