Peterborough's Green Party leader thanks residents after picking up the highest number of votes of anyone in local elections

The leader of the Green Party in Peterborough has thanked residents after she picked up more votes than anyone else across the city in yesterday’s local elections.

Cllr Julie Howell retained her seat in the Orton Waterville ward, securing 1,907 votes. No other candidate in any ward in Peterborough collected as many votes as Cllr Howell, with Labour councillor Alison Jones finishing with the second highest number of votes. Cllr Jones, who won the Central Ward seat, picked up 1,720 votes.

MORE: Peterborough elections results: Every council result

Speaking after all the results were announced, cllr Howell said: “I’m still trying to take it all in really. It is a bit like 2018 when I was first elected. We knew it (the vote) was strong but we didn’t dare dream, you have to wait for the figures, you have to wait for the results. And my goodness, we had to wait at the very end of the night because of some technical issues.

"And then to find out that we won comfortably, but also the highest vote of the night, who could have dreamt of that?

"I am so proud of our residents and just so excited. I'm excited to tell them, to thank them for turning out, because what a result."If you give people what they want they will vote for it and that's the story of Orton Waterville. And what we've given the residents of Waterville is hard work, all year round communication, clarity all of the time.

"My message really has not been a political one this time. It's been you know me by now, you know if you want me, you vote for me. If you don't I’ll go away, it's simple as that. And when you give the electorate what they want then they're going to support you.

"Nothing here happened by chance. It's been hard work for the past six years, two before I was elected and then four since I've been elected, and it's wonderful that hard work has been rewarded.”