A former council cabinet member has won a seat back on the council after coming out on top in the Hollinwood by-election today, Thursday.

Hannah Roberts served as the council's housing cabinet member before losing her position as a Royton North councillor in the May local elections.

The Labour representative had served the area since being elected in 2014.

The by-election was called after the death of former council leader, Cllr Jean Stretton, who died in September aged 64.

The Oldham Times: Cllr Jean StrettonCllr Jean Stretton (Image: Oldham Council)

Cllr Stretton served as a Hollinwood councillor for 19 years in two stretches and became the local authority's first female leader in 2016, a position she held for two years.

After votes were counted at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on Thursday night, Ms Roberts was announced the winner in a narrow victory.

She polled 718 votes, beating the Conservative Party's Kamran Ghafoor - who received 639 - by 79 votes.

Independent Barbara Victoria Whitehead finished third with 152.

John Lawrence, who stood for National Housing Party Putting UK First, attracted 59 votes and the Liberal Democrats' Dominic Cadman got 36.

The hold for Labour means the council's ruling party retain 35 of the borough's 60 seats, while the Tories and Lib Dems have nine apiece.

The Failsworth Independents have five seats and two more independents have spots in the town hall.

Council leader Amanda Chadderton offered her congratulations following the result. 

On social media, she said: "Huge congratulations to Hannah Roberts on her by-election win, so well deserved and she'll be a great advocate for Hollinwood residents."

The newly-elected councillor will work alongside fellow Labour Hollinwood representatives Kyle Phythian and Steve Williams.

There were 1,612 votes cast in total and turnout from the area was 21.07 per cent.