LABOUR'S new councillor for Cumberland Council's Harraby North ward has paid tribute to his predecessor who he said left a 'very big pair of shoes to fill'.

The count for Thursday's (June 27) by-election for the Cumberland Council ward was held at Harraby Community Centre in Edgehill Road.

It 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 percent in 2022, and out of a total electorate of 4567 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 county 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.

Speaking after the announcement, the newly-elected councillor McDermott said: "I am grateful to everyone who has gone out and voted for me, particularly with only a week to another election, thank you very much.

"I feel a huge responsibility. Cyril left obviously a very big pair of shoes to fill and I hope to work in the same spirit that Cyril did to deliver for the people of Harraby."

During his acceptance speech he thanked the people in the Labour party who had supported him during the campaign as well as the people of Harraby North who had put their trust in him. He added: "I am very grateful to that and look forward to serving Harraby going forward.

"I think we have seen some change now and hopefully, come next Thursday (July 4), we will see a change to a Labour Government, so councils truly are supported. Thank you."

Conservative candidate Rob Currie said: "I'd like to take the opportunity to congratulate councillor McDermott. This has been an incredibly enjoyable campaign; it has been very clean on all sides and it has been great to actually be given the opportunity to speak on the issues that matter in Harraby.

"Obviously people took our message on board. It's been very fun and the support we've received on the doorstep has been phenomenal and, once again, congratulations to Justin and here's hoping that he can carry on the work of Cyril Weber."

Labour candidate at the election countNew Labour councillor elected for Cumberland Council's Harraby North ward following by-election. Labour's Justin McDermott is in the pale blue shirt. (Image: Ian Duncan)

Lib Dems candidate Sarah Wills said: "Naturally I am disappointed that I haven't won but I am also very pleased to have stood for the wonderful residents of Harraby North and given them a genuine alternative to the usual two suspects of Conservative and Labour.

"I had some wonderful conversations with some of the residents and I would like to thank them for their time."

The Green Party candidate was unable to attend the count but, speaking after the actual turnout was announced, Gavin Hawkton, the Green Party for the Carlisle constituency in next week's General Election, said: "Nobody wins with a 16 per cent turnout.

"The voters are clearly disillusioned, there is a lot of apathy out there, nobody was inspired to go and vote but that is on us as politicians... we have to do better, we have to offer better."