Voters in the Throckley, Walbottle and Newburn ward of Newcastle City Council have gone to the polls today for a by-election. The contest was triggered after Reform UK councillor Amy Hunter resigned from her post earlier this summer, just a couple of months after being voted in at May's local elections. The party said her health, personal and work commitments had "changed abruptly".
Political backdrop
The year has already seen major political upheaval in the city, with Labour's vote collapsing in May. The Lib Dems emerged as the leaders of a new minority administration at the Civic Centre, after a three-way split left them only narrowly ahead of both Reform and the Greens.
While tonight's result will not see control of the council change hands again, the finely poised balance of power means that any by-election can have significant implications.
Polling and count
Polling stations opened at 7am this morning and were set to close at 10pm. Local democracy reporter Dan Holland is providing live updates from the count at Newcastle Civic Centre.
