![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_Dr-Kaushik-Chakraborty.jpg\")
Dr Kaushik Chakraborty<\/p>\nReform UK beaten into fourth placeDr Kaushik Chakraborty<\/p>\n
Conservatives are celebrating after bucking the party\u2019s dismal showing in the national opinion polls by winning the vacant Broadheath council ward seat in Trafford<\/a>.<\/p>\n Dr Kaushik Chakraborty romped to victory by more than 600 votes to regain the seat he lost by just six votes to then-Labour rival Ulrich Savary in 2024 after serving only a year as a councillor.<\/p>\n The by-election was held following the passing of one of the ward\u2019s three sitting councillors – Labour<\/a>\u2019s Denise Western.<\/p>\n To see planning applications; traffic and road diversions and layout changes; and more, visit the Public Notices Portal <\/strong>HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Uncertainty around the likely result was fuelled by the recent defection of Coun Savary to the Liberal Democrats<\/a> and the rise of Reform UK in the national polls.<\/p>\n Reform bosses had high hopes for candidate Deborah Rhodes, a local swimming instructor, but she was beaten into fourth place.<\/p>\n Dr Chakraborty\u2019s closest rival was Labour\u2019s Mahvish Masood with 978 votes, followed by Louise Bird of the Lib Dems with 841.<\/p>\n Ms Rhodes polled 723 and the Greens got 204 votes. Independent Stephen Farndon gained 22 votes.<\/p>\n The total voter turnout was an impressive 49.6 per cent, compared to 47.4pc in Broadheath in 2024.<\/p>\n Dr Chakraborty attributed his victory to \u2018the hard work of team Trafford Conservatives<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201cTheir work rate was phenomenal,” he said.<\/p>\n “We\u2019ve been putting in a hard shift every day for several months. We\u2019ve proved that the national opinion polls are not always right.\u201d<\/p>\n Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group <\/strong>HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Join our Court and Crime WhatsApp group <\/strong>HERE<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n He said he was looking forward to working with the Conservative group leader Coun Nathan Evans and council leader Coun Tom Ross to improve the lives of people in Broadheath.<\/p>\n Defeated Lib Dem candidate Louise Bird was putting a brave face on her third-place result.<\/p>\n \u201cIn just a few short weeks we\u2019ve achieved an amazing increase of 15 per cent for the Lib Dems<\/a> and achieved our best ever result in Broadheath,” she said.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m so grateful for the support residents have given me and I can\u2019t wait to continue the campaign to make Broadheath, Stamford Brook, Sale<\/a> and West Timperley a better place to be.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_Broadheath-by-election-count.jpg\")
The count taking place at Trafford town hall<\/p>\n