Labour's Carl Handley won this week's Ladywell by-election

Labour party candidate Carl Handley triumphed in yesterday’s Ladywell council by-election, the Brockley Central blog has reported.

Handley, who has previously served as a councillor for the area between 2002 and 2006, received 1231 votes, according to the blog’s source Sue Luxton.

He saw off competition from Green Party nominee Ute Michel, who received 1041 votes, as well as Liberal Democrat Ingrid Chetram (314 votes), Helen Mercer of Lewisham For People Not Profit (233) and Conservative Ben Appleby (153).

Handley, a a part-time worker for a welfare-rights and independent living charity for the disabled, is a long-term resident of the ward.

Described by his party as ‘a community activist with a wealth of council experience,’ he has also run a local football club for 23 years and served as an award-winning school Chair of Governors.

Upon being nominated to run for election, he said: “I am honoured and delighted to be chosen once again to represent the Labour Party here in Ladywell.”

“In these tough times, there are many battles to be fought on behalf of residents here and I am looking forward to being given this chance.”

Handley replaces departing Labour councillor Tim Shand, who resigned from the post to take up a job at Sonke Gender Justice Network in South Africa.

He will take his place as councillor alongside two fellow Labour representatives, Vincent Davis and Helen Gibson, both of whom were elected in May.

For previous voting figures read our last post.