A new councillor has been elected in Dacorum following yesterday’s by-election.

Dacorum Borough Council confirmed that the Liberal Democrats has claimed its vacant seat in the Apsley and Corner Hall ward.

Following the count, Hugo James Hardy, an architect, is the new borough councillor for the ward in Dacorum.

Councillor Hardy has filled the vacant post after the resignation of Toni Cox. Former Councillor Cox represented the council as a Liberal Democrat, but resigned from the party in 2024 after sexual harassment allegations were lodged against the former party leader in Dacorum.

Dacorum Borough Council's offices at The Forum in Hemel Hempstead. Credit: Will Durrant/LDRS.

placeholder image — Dacorum Borough Council's offices at The Forum in Hemel Hempstead. Credit: Will Durrant/LDRS.

A formal notice of the former councillor’s resignation was posted in April of this year; she had served as an independent following her resignation from the Liberal Democrats.

Dacorum Borough Council revealed that 30.78% of eligible voters returned a ballot for yesterday’s election. Councillor Hardy achieved a winning total of 742 votes.

Reform UK’s representative Andrew Garnett came second with 552 votes, Hubert Harvey Wilson from the Conservative Party was third with 404 votes. Independent candidate Eric Johnson, who has worked in the television industry on current affairs programmes, scored 213 votes.

Green candidate Connor Manship received 181 votes and Bailey Hewitt from the Labour Party had 161.

Here are the full votes for the Apsley and Corner Hall ward:

Candidate Party Number of votes

Andrew Garnett Reform UK 552

Hugo James Hardy Liberal Democrats 742 (Elected)

Bailey Hewitt Labour 161

Eric Johnson Independent 213

Connor Manship Green 181

Hubert Harvey Wilson Conservative 404