ON a night of few surprises but considerable disappointment for Labour, attention focussed on the count for the Tilbury Riverside and Thurrock Park ward where non-aligned independent John Allen found his way back on to the council benches.

Cllr Allen, who lost his seat in the ward last year, battled back at the expense of Labour's Bukky Okunade, with Tory Jordan Ali a distant third.

Mrs Okunade had served on the council for Labour since 2004, becoming the group's deputy leader in 2019, and her defeat was the low point of a bad night for the red ranks.

Result

• John Allen (Independent) 562
• Jordan Ali (Conservative) 290
• Bukky Okunade (Labour) 439

Majority 123

Electorate: 4,724. Ballot Papers Issued: 1,292. Turnout: 27.35%