Local Elections in England See Shift in Votes as Financial Struggles and Poor Performance Take Their Toll

In Thurrock, a plan to close a local theatre sparked protests, and the council was later placed under intervention by the Department for Levelling Up. In Slough, the council's bankruptcy and poor performance in services such as missed bin collections had an impact on the election results, with a 18-point swing from Labour to Tory.

The former commissioner sent in by the government to Slough, Max Caller, agrees that the local press covered the problems extensively.

However, the council's financial issues did not have a significant impact on the results in the election most recently after that, because voters had not felt the effects of the bankruptcy yet.

The council tax in Slough was increased by nearly 10% due to the council's dire state of finances, and most of England saw their council tax increased by nearly 5%.

The Conservatives in Slough, Thurrock, and other councils did not treat the recent elections as a referendum on the rise of populism, but instead focused on local issues.

Slough's problems are blamed on its "tax and spend approach by Labour," but other councils with similar issues also faced voter discontent.

Thurrock, for example, saw its Conservative administration lose two seats to Labour, who gained three from independents.

The council has debts of over £1 billion, and Labour leader John Kent says the government's intervention and bankruptcy contributed to voter awareness.

Thurrock raised its council tax by nearly 10%, and Kent identifies this increase as a reason for the vote against the council.

The Conservatives in Thurrock declined to be interviewed, but the Essex authority is a less clear-cut case of voter punishment, as it still followed the national trend of Conservatives losing seats.

Sandwell and Liverpool councils also saw the incumbent parties lose support, but on a smaller scale.

Prof Curtice does not think voters punished Labour in Sandwell, but it is difficult to tell in Liverpool.

Labour lost nine seats in the city, but their vote share held up.

Croydon, in south London, has huge debts and has had commissioners sent in during recent years.

Last year, voters elected a Conservative mayor, even though the council itself is Labour.

Progress at Slough has been slow, according to the commissioners, and Thurrock had another commissioner appointed in March after the government said it was "continuing to fail in its best value duty."