Labour has gained the Shepshed division of Leicestershire County Council from Reform UK in a closely fought by-election held on Thursday 15 October 2026, with Jane Lennie winning by just 53 votes.
Lennie received 1,163 votes (32.8%), narrowly ahead of Reform UK's Stuart Brian Wood on 1,110 (31.3%). Conservative candidate Sarah Louise Monk finished third with 819 votes (23.1%).
Shepshed by-election: full result
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Share |
| Jane Lennie | Labour | 1,163 | 32.8% |
| Stuart Brian Wood | Reform UK | 1,110 | 31.3% |
| Sarah Louise Monk | Conservative | 819 | 23.1% |
| Alec McKenzie | Restore Britain | 228 | 6.4% |
| Katy Brookes-Duncan | Liberal Democrats | 115 | 3.2% |
| David Neil Kellock | Green Party | 112 | 3.2% |
A total of 3,547 valid votes were recorded across six candidates. The winning margin was 53 votes, equivalent to approximately 1.5 percentage points of valid votes.
Labour gains seat previously held by Reform UK
The by-election followed the resignation in August of Reform UK councillor Helen Butler, who had won the Shepshed division at the May 2025 county council elections. Butler said she was leaving to spend more time with her family.
Compared with May 2025, Labour's share increased from 17.9% to 32.8%, a rise of 14.9 percentage points. Reform UK's share fell from 44.9% to 31.3%, a decline of 13.6 points. The Conservative share was 23.1%, compared with 25.4% in 2025.
These figures describe voting in this division and should not be taken as a measure of national voting intentions.
What the result means
The result transfers one county council seat from Reform UK to Labour. Leicestershire County Council is responsible for services including highways, adult social care and education. Reform UK has led a minority administration at County Hall following the May 2025 elections.
The election was administered by Charnwood Borough Council on behalf of Leicestershire County Council; the vacancy was on the county council, not the borough council.