The Reform candidate has been elected in a Bracknell by-election after defeating Labour by just 24 votes.
A by-election was held for the Harmans Water ward of Bracknell Town Council, following the resignation of Cherise Welch, who was elected in 2023.
Harmans Water is an eastern suburb of the town. Justin Bellhouse, the Reform UK candidate, has been elected to represent the area following the by-election on Thursday, June 26.
Mr Bellhouse won with a majority of just 24 votes, beating out Labour candidate Chloe McDougall.
Celebrating the news on Facebook, a post by Reform UK Bracknell states: “A truly historic moment for Harmans Water.
“We are absolutely delighted to announce that Justin Bellhouse has been elected as the new Town Councillor for Harmans Water, the first elected Reform UK councillor in the whole of Berkshire.
“This is a significant milestone, not just for Reform UK Bracknell but for the residents of Harmans Water who have placed their trust in someone genuinely committed to listening, challenging and delivering real change.
“A heartfelt thank you to every resident who supported us, voted for us and believed in the message of fairness, accountability and action.
“Your voice has been heard loud and clear.
“We also extend our genuine thanks to the other candidates. Campaigns like this take time, energy and passion from everyone involved and while we may disagree on direction, we all care about the future of our communities.”
The results in full were as follows
Justin Paul Bellhouse – Reform UK – 302 votes – ELECTED
Chloe Julia McDougall – Labour Party – 278 votes
Christopher Richard Martin Turrell – Conservative Party – 234 votes
Jason Peter Reardon – Heritage Party – 20 votes
Mr Bellhouse also beat out Chris Turrell, a former executive member of Bracknell Forest Council and leader of the town council.
The post by Reform UK Bracknell continues: “Now, the real work begins. Justin will stand firmly for the residents of Harmans Water, working independently, asking the difficult questions and never shying away from scrutiny. Even as a lone Reform UK councillor in a sea of red, he will not be outnumbered when the truth is on his side.
“This is about serving people and you can all expect exactly that, so thank you again, Harmans Water.
“Watch what happens next.”
The make-up of Bracknell Town Council is now as follows:
Labour – 27
Reform UK – 1
The campaign had its share of controversies. The award-winning Newton Pippin pub issued a post stating that “We DO NOT affiliate with ANY political party” after a photo of Mr Bellhouse appearing outside the pub was used on his campaign material.
Reform was also criticised for using a stock image of a road ‘from Texas’ during the campaign as well.
A leading figure for Reform UK in Bracknell is Malcolm Tullett, a former borough and town councillor who stood as the party’s candidate during the general election last year.
Mr Tullett came in third place behind the winner Peter Swallow MP and the incumbent, James Sunderland.
