The result of the Painswick and Upton by-election has been declared with Painswick Green activist, Gary Luff winning as district councillor for the Painswick and Upton District Ward and taking the Green-led council to now 14 councillors, in what was a Tory-led stronghold.

The district council by-election was held on Wednesday in Painswick and Upton, following the resignation of Conservative councillor Jason Bullingham, who stood down last month on health grounds and had served for three years. In 2021, Green candidates came within 5% of being elected in Painswick; a close second place. Luff worked as a senior executive for an insurance company but is now active in the community sector. He will start his council career this evening, Thursday 18 May, at Stroud Council's AGM.

Gary Luff district councillor for the Green Party said: "The share of the vote won by the sitting Conservatives in this ward has been declining for several years, and Labour's vote share has also declined. That direction of travel will only continue. We knew that traditional Tory voters would not automatically vote Tory this time, for various reasons, and for them, the Greens offer the most attractive alternative as we offer economically sound policies as well as genuine care about environmental and social justice."

The Painswick and Upton (Stroud) council by-election result:

GRN: 45.9% (+11.9)

CON: 32.1% (-10.3)

LDEM: 15.0% (+15.0)

LAB: 7.1% (-16.6)

Votes cast: 2,546

Defending the by-election for the Conservatives was Sue Williams, who as the ward's county councillor was hoping to serve at both county and district levels. Labour has reselected their candidate from 2021 Ela Pathak-Sen, who works as a social entrepreneur following a 30-year career in the NHS. The Lib Dem's Roz Savage completed the candidate lineup.

Stroud councillor John Marjoram had been a Green councillor for 35 years until he retired two years ago. He was elected in May 1986 when the Greens were called the Ecology Party.