Bucks Council leader confident ahead of local elections despite 'wipeout' predictions

Martin Tett said his Tory-majority unitary authority had a reputation among residents on the doorsteps for being ‘a well-run, prudent council’.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “If you look at by-election results around the country at the moment, we are doing stonkingly well.”

Despite being thumped by Labour in this year’s local and general elections, the Tories are still winning wards at councils across England.

In the last month, more than 20 local by-elections have been won by Conservative candidates, including in Windsor & Maidenhead, while in some areas such as North East Derbyshire and Worthing, the party has made gains from Labour.

Meanwhile, Labour has dipped in the opinion polls nationally, following cuts to pensioners’ winter fuel payments and an Autumn Budget containing tax hikes and a rise in the bus fare cap.

Cllr Tett said: “There seems to be a lot of buyer’s regret by people who voted Labour. What really made a difference initially was the winter fuel allowance. Following on from that now, all these tax rises.”

He added: “I think we stand a very good chance in Labour areas of being quite successful and actually I think Labour will struggle in some of their core areas.”

Buckinghamshire’s local elections on 1 May, 2025, will see residents elect 97 councillors across the county, rather than the current 147.

The lower number of councillors for the area was confirmed after a Boundary Commission review.