THE HARRABY North area of Carlisle has a new Labour councillor following yesterday's (Thursday June 27) by-election for the Cumberland Council ward.

The count, which was held at Harraby Community Centre in Edgehill Road, started after polling stations closed and the candidate with the most votes was announced by council chief executive Andrew Seekings shortly before 11pm.

The turnout was 16.64 percent, compared with 24.4 per cent in 2022, and out of a total electorate of 4,567 there were 761 votes cast – there were nine spoilt ballot papers with eight being marked for uncertainty and one voter voting for more than one candidate.

Justin Robert McDermott (Labour) received 455 votes and was elected, Robert Gordon Currie (Conservative) received 165 votes, Sarah Joyce Wills (Lib Dems) received 70 votes and Peri Elizabeth Connor (Green Party) got 62 votes.

The by-election was called following the death of Cyril Weber, a long-serving councillor for the Harraby area on both the former Carlisle city and Cumbria councils as well as Cumberland Council which was first formed last year.

His death saw several tributes from people of various political backgrounds who spoke of his loyalty to the area and care he had for residents throughout his career.