It was a night of disappointment for a Labour Party that had enthusiastically pursued blue seats in a flagship Tory borough, and went barely rewarded despite a dramatic surge in turnout.

The Conservative Party held a firm majority in Kensington and Chelsea, taking 36 seats to Labour’s 12, leaving one seat to the Liberal Democrats.

A ‘Justice 4 Grenfell’ sign projected onto the side of the Kensington Town Hall greeted new arrivals to the polls, marking a sombre reminder that this election was the first since the tragedy.

Candidates had been grilled by voters about how they would handle the aftermath of the tragedy, during hustings around the borough in the lead-up to the election.

Many observers had speculated continued anger over the fire would have consequences for the Conservative majority in the election result.

Justice for Grenfell sign

The areas immediately surrounding Notting Dale, the ward where Grenfell sits, were Labour strongholds already – and the party retained that loyalty.

But ultimately, the southern parts of the borough stayed true to their blue heritage too.

Previously, the council seats had been held by 37 Conservatives, 11 Labour councillors, and two Liberal Democrats.

About half the Tory councillors were not up for re-election, including former leader Nick Paget-Brown who stepped down following criticism of the council’s handling of Grenfell.

Electors were instead presented with a fresh crop of Conservatives, and they voted for them in blocs, as the electorate recorded a 39.7 per cent turnout.

After declaring victory, Conservative leader Elizabeth Campbell said Grenfell would be a priority in her speech to the Town Hall: "We also recognise that all of us here in Kensington and Chelsea live in the shadow of Grenfell and Grenfell was, Grenfell is, and Grenfell will be our first priority."

Later, she said voters had clearly recognised the party's record of providing efficient services and low council taxes: "They voted us in to deliver those services and we will carry on doing that."

She spoke about a candidate list featuring broader diversity than ever before, saying the new Conservative-majority council must be more in tune with the whole community.

The council would focus on rehousing the dozens of Grenfell survivors who remain in temporary accommodation, and aiding the inquiry that starts in a fortnight, Campbell said.

“We all want justice for our residents.”

Labour campaigners’ enthusiastic surge through safe-seat blue wards came on the back of MP and Councillor Emma Dent Coad’s historical win in Kensington last year.

The party rallied in neighbourhoods they hadn’t campaigned in for decades.

The party’s council leader Robert Atkinson said upon conceding early on in the count that he had never expected a red takeover, but at that stage remained optimistic about grabbing Tory seats.

As the votes came trickling in from around 4am, the only grab was by Labour newcomer Portia Thaxter, who took Conservative Eve Allison’s seat in St Helen’s with a wide lead.

Labour’s three candidates in Chelsea Riverside did come within a whisker of matching their Conservative rivals’ votes; but ultimately the Tories held the close-fought ward.

The biggest uptick in voter turnout was concentrated in the middle of the borough, with Norland, Holland, Pembridge, and Campden all attracting a significant surges in interest.

But ultimately, all seats in those wards held their patterns too.

Speaking after the result, Atkinson said he was surprised Labour’s “energetic” campaign did not translate into more seats.

But he thought the gains Labour had made showed it was beginning a revival, and he felt residents were losing trust in the Conversatives.

“They preferred to talk about bins rather than Grenfell.”

He said he was disappointed Conservatives had avoided hustings throughout the north, and he hoped the new crop would bring a fresh attitude.

“We will continue to hold them to account and I think I still have a job to make sure that she delivers, eventually.”

Meanwhile, newcomers Advance Together had fielded 14 candidates across the 18 wards, yet that party, Greens and UKIP all went home without seats.

THE FINAL RESULTS

Eight parties contested the 50 seats.

Abingdon

Sarah Addenbrooke- CON

Anne Cyron – CON

James Husband – CON

No change

Brompton & Hans Town

Mary Weale – CON

Walaa Idris – CON

Sophia McVeigh – CON

No change

Campden

Catherine Faulks – CON

Robert Freeman – CON

Ian Wason – CON

No change

Courtfield

Janet Evans – CON

Greg Hammond – CON

Quentin Marshall – CON

No change

Colville

Monica Press – LAB

Nadia Nail – LAB

Ian Henderson – LAB

No change

Chelsea Riverside

Adrian Berrill-Cox – CON

Gerard Hargreaves – CON

Alison Jackson – CON

No change

Dalgarno

Pat Healy – LAB

Robert Thompson – LAB

No change

Earl’s Court

Hamish Adourian – CON

Malcolm Spalding – CON

Linda Wade – LIB DEM

No change

Golborne

Emma Dent Coat – LAB

Pat Mason – LAB

Mehdi Lari – LAB

No change

Holland

Aarien Areti – CON

Charles O’Connor – CON

Johnny Thalassites – CON

No change

Notting Dale

Robert Atkinson – LAB

Judith Blakeman – LAB

Marwan Elnaghi – LAB

No change

Norland

David Lindsay – CON

Julie Mills – CON

No change

Pembridge

Laura Round – CON

Dori Schmetterling – CON

No change

Queen’s Gate

Max Chauhan

Matthew Palmer

Maxwell Woodger

No Change

Redcliffe

Tom Bennett – CON

Marie-Therese Rossu – CON

Charles Williams – CON

No change

Royal Hospital

Elizabeth Campbell (leader) – CON

Emma Will – CON

Cem Kemahli – CON

No change

St. Helen’s

Portia Thaxter – LAB

Mohammed Bakhtiar – LAB

+ 1 LAB

Stanley

Will Stanley – CON

Josh Rendall – CON

Kim Taylor-Smith- CON

No change