Labour’s Sharon Hofman wins Bricknell by-election

WINNER: Sharon Hofman celebrates with Labour colleagues. Picture courtesy of Hull Labour X, formerly Twitter

By Angus Young

Labour has won the by-election in Hull’s Bricknell ward after a three-way battle for the seat.

The contest was triggered  by the disqualification of sitting Labour councillor Sarah Harper-Riches. She had failed to attend a council meeting for six months.

Now Labour’s Sharon Hofman will step into her shoes as the new councillor for the ward which takes in an area including Bricknell Avenue, Newland Park and National Avenue.

She secured 919 votes to win the vacant seat ahead of Liberal Democrat challenger Lucy Lennon, who polled 647 votes. 

Conservative candidate John Fareham, who represented the ward until 2022, finished third with 418 votes. The turnout was 35 per cent.

The result means the political make-up of the council remains unchanged with the Liberal Democrats having 32 seats and Labour 25.

Both parties had campaigned strongly with Mr Fareham relying on his track record as a former long-serving councillor in the ward.

However the Lib Dems found the task of overhauling Labour just too much having finished fourth in the last election in Bricknell just over a year ago.

Full result

Sharon Hofman (Labour) 919

Lucy Lennon (Liberal Democrats) 647

John Fareham (Conservative) 418

Kevin Paulson (Green) 98 

James Steele (Yorkshire Party) 19