Labour has increased its majority on Ipswich Borough Council by winning five seats that had been won by the Conservatives three years ago.

It won Gainsborough, Holywells, Sprites, Stoke Park, and Whitton seats that had been taken by the Tories in 2021 in an election delayed by the pandemic.

That brings the number of seats it holds on the council up to 38. The Tories now have seven and the Liberal Democrats have three.

Labour took 15 of the 18 seats up for election. The Conservatives won two and Liberal Democrat Oliver Holmes comfortably held on to his party's St Margaret's stronghold.

Borough Labour leader Neil MacDonald was one of those returned to the council and said he felt it was a mixture of local and national issues that helped his party do so well.

He said: "People want a General Election to bring in a new government and they turned out to vote for us to show that desire."

Conservative group leader Ian Fisher was one of only two Conservatives to be elected to the council in this year's elections but felt that was a reflection on national disenchantment rather than a rejection of what they were planning to do in Ipswich.

He said: "We know many of our supporters simply didn't get out and vote. And it was not just us - if you look at the figures the number of Labour voters fell as well in many parts of the town."

He felt there was still time for things to improve for his party before the next General Election and he was hopeful that Tom Hunt would be able to successfully defend his seat.

One development that could be significant in the future was that Green Party candidate David Plowman came second in the Alexandra Ward in the town centre - he was some way behind Labour's Adam Rae but it was the first time the Greens had come second in an Ipswich election.

Results: 

Alexandra: Adam Rae*(L), 1,125 Katherine West (C), 401,Kelly Turner (LD), 123, David Plowman (G), 599.

Bixley: Lee Reynolds*(C), 1,053, Paul Anderson (L), 788, Lisa Weichert (LD), 132, Stephanie Cullen (G) 239.

Bridge: Bryony Rudkin*(L), 780, John Downie (C), 450, Sophie Williams (LD), 108, Adria Pittock (G), 166, Catherine Kersey (RUK), 184.

Castle Hill: Ian Fisher*(C), 827, Kim Cook(L), 750, Martin Pakes (LD), 365, Richard Foster (G), 143.

Gainsborough: James Whatling (L), 764, Albert Demaj(C),  411,  Amy Bendall(LD), 60, Robert Young(G), 100, John Beard(RUK), 186, Shane Pooley*(Ind), 86

Gipping: David Ellesmere*(L), 878,  Rhys Ellis(C),442,  Gerald Pryke(LD), 95, Lee Morris(G), 159.

Holywells:  Nic El-Safty(L), 1,041, Pippa Gordon-Gould*(C),704, Robert Chambers(LD), 165, Rory Richardson-Todd(G), 205.

Priory Heath (two seats): Roxanne Downes*(L), 909, Owen Bartholomew(L), 805, Robert Hall(C), 485, Michael Scanes(C), 441, Conrad Packwood(LD) 101, Andy Patmore(G), 195, Tom Wilmot(G), 188.

Rushmere: Alasdair Ross*(L), 1,165, Debbie Richards(C), 626, Lucy Drake(LD), 146, Rachel Morris(G), 221, Timothy Hawke(RUK), 188.

Sprites:  Philip McSweeney(L), 769, Sian Gubb(C), 618, Robin Whitmore(LD), 54, Martin Hynes(G) 124..

St Johns (two seats): Neil MacDonnald*(L), 1,162, Corinna Hudson(L), 1,172, Tim Buttle(C),698, Stephen Ion(C), 542, Giles Turner(LD). 273, Jude Rook(G), 233.

St Margaret's: Oliver Holmes*(LD), 1,431, Sheila Handley(L), 551, Laura Allenby(C), 477, Kirsty Wilmot(G) 341.

Stoke Park:  Chu Man(L), 765, James Harding(C), 702, Henry Williams(LD), 76, Barry Broom(G), 172.

Westgate: Carole Jones*(L), 935, Stephen Kirby(C), 370, Martin Hore(LD), 147, John Mann(G), 235.

Whitehouse: Tracy Grant*(L), 754,  Mark Phillips(C), 303, Immo Weichert(LD),  69, Sue Hagley(G), 160, David Hurlbut(RUK), 161.

Whitton:  Patricia Bruce-Browne(L), 812, Tony Gould*(RUK), 265, David Goldsmith(C), 555, Nicholas Jacob(LD), 93, Jason Williams(G), 105.

Key: L - Labour, C - Conservative, LD - Liberal Democrat, G - Green, RUK - Reform UK, Ind - Independent. *denotes sitting councillor (not necessarily for the same party they were originally elected).