Reform UK secured its second seat on North Yorkshire Council last night when its candidate Tom Seston secured almost two-thirds of the vote.

Cllr Seston polled 62.7% in the Scarborough Eastfield by-election, which was held following the resignation of former councillor Tony Randerson.

The turnout for the by-election was just 16.64 per cent, with 862 votes cast from an electorate of 5,181.

Labour’s Hazel Smith was second with 121 votes, three more than Helen Williams of the Social Justice Party polled.

The Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates received 40 and 24 votes respectively.

Mr Randerson was elected to represent Labour in 2022 but switched to the Social Justice Party the following year. When he announced his resignation in May he said his reasons were "very personal and certainly not political in any form".

Last night’s result means the Conservatives have 44 of the 90 seats on the council and retain control with the help of three members of a Conservative and Independents group. The Lib Dems have 13 councillors, Labour have eight, there are six members of the Independent group, four Greens, four unaffiliated independents, two Reform, two Labour and Co-Operative, two unspecified and one Liberal.

The next council elections will take place in May 2027.

Scarborough Eastfield result

• Helen Susan Baker, Conservative Party, 40 votes.

• Mark Harrison, Liberal Democrats, 24 votes.

• Tom Seston, Reform UK, 538 votes.

• Hazel Anne Smith, Labour Party, 121 votes.

• Kieran Wade, Green Party, 17 votes.

• Helen Williams, Social Justice Party, 118 votes.