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2024 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council election

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2024 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council election
← 2023 2 May 2024 (2024-05-02) 2026 →
All 72 seats to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council
37 seats needed for a majority
Turnout32.3% Increase 4.9[1]
  Majority party Minority party
  Blank
Leader Patrick Harley Pete Lowe
Party Conservative Labour
Last election 44 seats, 42.4% 27 seats, 43.8%
Seats before 41 26
Seats after 34 34
Seat change Decrease 7 Increase 8
  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Ryan Priest
Party Liberal Democrats Independent
Last election 0 seats, 5.8% 1 seat, 1.5%
Seats before 1 4
Seats after 3 1
Seat change Increase 2 Decrease 3
Map of the results
Leader before election

Patrick Harley
Conservative

Leader after election

Patrick Harley
Conservative
No overall control

The 2024 Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on Thursday 2 May 2024 to elect all 72 seats to Dudley Council, alongside the other local elections across the United Kingdom being held on the same day.[2]

Prior to the election the council had been under Conservative majority control since the 2021 election.

The Conservatives lost control of the council, with no party having an overall majority and Labour and the Conservatives ending up with the same number of seats.[3] After a week of negotiations between the Conservative and Labour groups, it was announced that the existing Conservative leader, Patrick Harley, would remain leader of the council (and therefore appoint the council's cabinet) while Labour would be in charge of the majority of the council's scrutiny committee chairmanships and the mayoralty.[4]

Background

[edit]

History

[edit]

The Local Government Act 1972 created a two-tier system of metropolitan counties and districts covering Greater Manchester, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, Tyne and Wear, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire starting in 1974. Dudley was a district of the West Midlands metropolitan county.[5] The Local Government Act 1985 abolished the metropolitan county councils, with metropolitan districts taking on most of their powers as metropolitan boroughs. The West Midlands Combined Authority was created in 2016 and began electing the mayor of the West Midlands from 2017, which was given strategic powers covering a region coterminous with the West Midlands metropolitan county.[6]

Dudley Council has variously been under Labour control, Conservative control and no overall control since it was established. The Conservatives controlled the council from the 2004 election until Labour gained control in the 2012 election. Labour lost overall control in the 2016 election but continued to lead the council until 2017, when the Conservatives led the council, still without a majority. In the 2021 elections, the Conservatives gained a majority on the council, which they have held since.[7]

In the most recent council election in 2023, the Conservatives won 44 of the 72 seats, one less than prior to the election, while Labour won 27 seats, increasing their membership on the council by 1.[8]

Two by-elections were held between the 2023 elections and the 2024 elections. The Cradley and Wollescote ward by-election on 3 August 2023, triggered by the death of Labour councillor Richard Body, saw the Liberal Democrats gain their first seat on the council.[9] The St James's ward by-election on 24 August 2023, triggered by the resignation of Conservative councillor Wayne Sullivan, resulted in the Labour Party gaining the seat.[10][11]

Three councillors changed party affiliation between the 2023 elections and the 2024 elections. In October 2023, Labour councillor Adrian Hughes was suspended by the party following allegations of sexual harassment.[12][13] Conservative councillors Shaun Keasey and Peter Miller quit the party in October 2023 and February 2024 respectively. Keasey cited the Conservative Party's extremity as his reason for resigning from the party, while Miller expressed "disgust" at the party's selection process for the 2024 elections.[14][15] All three councillors have sat as independents on the council since departing their respective parties.

Electoral process

[edit]

The council usually elects members in thirds every year except the 4th in a four-year cycle.[16] However, due to a boundary review of the wards by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, all 72 seats to Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council were up for election in 2024.[17][18]

Previous council composition

[edit]
After 2023 election Before 2024 election After 2024 election
Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats
Conservative 44 Conservative 41 Conservative 34
Labour 27 Labour 26 Labour 34
Independent 1 Independent 4 Independent 1
Liberal Democrats 0 Liberal Democrats 1 Liberal Democrats 3

Changes 2023–2024:

  • 9 May 2023: Richard Body (Labour) dies; by-election scheduled for August 2023.
  • 12 July 2023: Wayne Sullivan (Conservative) resigns; by-election scheduled for August 2023.
  • 3 August 2023: Cradley and Wollescote by-election is won by Ryan Priest; Liberal Democrats gain seat from Labour.
  • 24 August 2023: St James's by-election is won by Caroline Reid; Labour gains seat from Conservatives.
  • 3 October 2023: Shaun Keasey resigns from the Conservative Party due to its "extremity".
  • 24 October 2023: Adrian Hughes is suspended by the Labour Party over sexual harassment allegations.
  • 28 February 2024: Peter Miller resigns from the Conservative Party over "disgust" at the party's local candidate selection process.

Ward results

[edit]

An asterisk indicates an incumbent councillor. (Does not apply to Damian Corfield who was an incumbent but became councillor for a different ward in the election)

Amblecote

[edit]
Amblecote[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Paul William Bradley* 1,754 55.3
Conservative Pete Lee* 1,570 49.5
Conservative Kamran Razzaq* 1,307 41.2
Labour Erin Charlotte Billingham 1,040 32.8
Labour Harriet Caroline Foster 985 31.1
Labour Molly Savage 924 29.1
Green Adrian Norman Mabe 262 8.3
Independent Glen Wilson 233 7.4
Independent Maxim Lowe 219 6.9
Liberal Democrats Mollie Jo Priest 180 5.7
Rejected ballots 24 0.8
Turnout 3,170 31.6 +5.46
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Belle Vale

[edit]
Belle Vale
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Simon Dennis Phipps* 1,679 51.3
Conservative Daniel James Bevan* 1,482 45.2
Conservative Peter William Dobb* 1,425 43.5
Labour Fiona Jane Murray 1,289 39.3
Labour Donella Joy Russell 1,247 38.1
Labour Joseph Eulogio 1,211 37.0
Liberal Democrats Sarah Louise Furhuraire 243 7.4
Rejected ballots 24 0.7
Turnout 3276 33.41 +3.21
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Brierley Hill and Wordsley South

[edit]
Brierley Hill and Wordsley South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Adam Davies* 1,160 43.4
Conservative Wayne Little* 1,075 40.2
Labour Matthew James Cook 1,048 39.2
Conservative Danny Shaw 1,020 38.2
Labour John Ronald Martin* 1,018 38.1
Labour Marva Iotha Inniss 905 33.9
Green Andrew Bennett 330 12.4
Liberal Democrats Aneesa Nawaz 167 6.3
TUSC Kevin Carnall 155 5.8
Liberal Democrats Abdul Qadus 137 5.1
Rejected ballots 24 0.9
Turnout 2672 26.35 +3.74
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Brockmoor and Pensnett

[edit]
Brockmoor and Pensnett
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Judy Foster* 1,382 59.5
Labour Steve Edwards 1,310 56.4
Labour Karen Westwood* 1,246 53.7
Conservative Alex Dale 617 26.6
Conservative Dan Barras 573 24.7
Conservative Eric Perry 560 24.1
Liberal Democrats Ian Martin Flynn 173 7.5
Rejected ballots 34 1.5
Turnout 2322 23.27 +4.16
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour hold Swing

Castle and Priory

[edit]
Castle and Priory
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keiran Robert Casey* 1,129 46.4
Conservative Faye Barras 1,056 43.4
Labour Karl Denning* 1,014 41.6
Labour Donna Flurry-Haddock 930 38.2
Conservative Saadat Khan 787 32.3
Conservative Wafa Khan 739 30.3
Liberal Democrats David Ashley Bramall 271 11.1
Rejected ballots 42 1.7
Turnout 2435 25.35 +5.59
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Labour hold Swing

Coseley

[edit]
Coseley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Drake* 1,272 55.7
Labour Sue Ridney* 1,181 51.7
Labour David Christopher Roberts 1,056 46.2
Conservative Jake Christopher David Fountain 582 25.5
Conservative Dennis John Phipps 511 22.4
Conservative Henry Oche 496 21.7
Green Claire Elizabeth Beech 277 12.1
Green Konstantins Bokarevs 169 7.4
Rejected ballots 37 1.6
Turnout 2285 24.37 +4.66
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Cradley North and Wollescote

[edit]
Cradley North and Wollescote
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ryan Ashley Priest* 1,627 53.2
Liberal Democrats Kash Khan 1,120 36.6
Liberal Democrats Ethan Brian Stafford 1,049 34.3
Labour Tim Crumpton* 1,020 33.4
Labour Rachael Anne Gardener 861 28.2
Labour Mahdi Amen Mutahar 673 22.0
Conservative Natalie Anne Neale* 581 19.0
Conservative Samantha Hadley 575 18.8
Conservative Christopher Sturman-Sprigg 530 17.3
TUSC Siobhan Halloran 89 2.9
Rejected ballots 29 0.9
Turnout 3057 33.41 +4.41
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Gornal

[edit]
Gornal
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Stanley* 1,271 41.6
Conservative Bryn Challenor* 1,114 36.5
Labour Stuart Turner 898 29.4
Independent Anne Millward 852 27.9
Conservative Claire Sullivan* 810 26.5
Labour Joanne Hazel Anne Morgan 764 25.0
Independent Mark Westwood 590 19.3
Labour Harjinder Singh 569 18.6
Reform UK Nathan Paul Hunt 554 18.2
Rejected ballots 14 0.5
Turnout 3052 30.45 +4.24
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Halesowen North

[edit]
Halesowen North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hilary Bills* 1,744 50.9
Labour Parmjit Singh Sahota* 1,477 43.1
Conservative Stuart Carl Henley* 1,429 41.7
Labour Helen Clare Betts-Patel 1,286 37.6
Conservative Laura Taylor-Childs 918 26.8
Conservative John Robert Small 908 26.5
Green Rachel Jane Hewlett 292 8.5
Independent Abdul Razzaq 279 8.2
Green Ashley Patrick Flavin 278 8.1
Liberal Democrats Tracey Gregg 160 4.7
Rejected ballots 23 0.7
Turnout 3423 35.39 +3.63
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Halesowen South

[edit]
Halesowen South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Taylor* 1,876 52.5
Conservative Jeff Hill 1,816 50.8
Conservative Thomas Geoffrey Russon* 1,566 43.8
Labour Stephen Hilton 1,222 34.2
Labour Jo Plant 1,059 29.6
Labour Fady Jadayel 1,018 28.5
Green James Robert Windridge 569 15.9
Liberal Democrats Saima Chadney Furhuraire 236 6.6
Rejected ballots 34 1.0
Turnout 3576 37.85 +5.14
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Hayley Green and Cradley South

[edit]
Hayley Green and Cradley South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Andrea Goddard* 1,638 51.9
Conservative Ian James Bevan* 1,599 50.6
Conservative Bex Collins 1,483 47.0
Labour Michael Joseph Hanley 1171 37.1
Labour Tony Barnsley 1142 36.2
Labour Zac Barnsley 1109 35.1
Liberal Democrats Ranjeet Furhuraire 255 8.1
Rejected ballots 39 1.2
Turnout 3158 34.72 +4.99
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Kingswinford North and Wall Heath

[edit]
Kingswinford North and Wall Heath
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Phil Atkins* 1,775 47.1
Conservative Edward Robert Lawrence* 1,629 43.2
Conservative Mark Webb* 1,497 39.7
Independent Shaz Saleem 1388 36.8
Independent Cassie Gray 968 25.7
Labour Karen Mary Jordan 799 21.2
Labour Tremaine Herbert 739 19.6
Labour Rick Nelson 707 18.8
Liberal Democrats Simon Paul Hanson 173 4.6
Liberal Democrats Stephen Holmes 119 3.2
Rejected ballots 20 0.5
Turnout 3768 39.37 +6.75
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Kingswinford South

[edit]
Kingswinford South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick Harley* 1,516 44.0
Conservative Sue Greenaway 1,435 41.6
Conservative Luke Johnson* 1,170 33.9
Labour Simon Daniel 1102 32.0
Labour Dave Woolley 851 24.7
Labour Domenico Palermo 712 20.6
Independent Michelle Hammond 632 18.3
Independent Brian Bassingthwaighte 617 17.9
Independent Peter Phillip Miller* 521 15.1
Independent Adam Waldron 456 13.2
Green Chris Walker 231 6.7
Liberal Democrats Roxanne Enid Holmes 117 3.4
Rejected ballots 21 0.6
Turnout 3449 34.76 +5.01
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative gain from Independent Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Lye and Stourbridge North

[edit]
Lye and Stourbridge North
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Pete Lowe* 1,318 41.0
Labour Mohammed Hanif* 1,314 40.8
Labour Ellen Hope Cobb 1,200 37.3
Conservative Dave Borley* 1008 31.3
Conservative Muhammad Imtiyaz Ali 892 27.7
Conservative Shazad Mahmood 807 25.1
Liberal Democrats Gary Farmer 625 19.4
Liberal Democrats Naz Ahmed 569 17.7
Liberal Democrats Steven Parish 334 10.4
Green Mark Binnersley 296 9.2
Rejected ballots 32 1.0
Turnout 3217 33.99 +6.45
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Netherton and Holly Hall

[edit]
Netherton and Holly Hall
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Elaine Taylor* 1,433 54.1
Labour Qasim Mughal 1,182 44.6
Labour Shaneila Mughal 1,094 41.3
Conservative Martin Berrington 733 27.6
Conservative Viorica Faraji 500 18.9
Green Jamie Dennis Smith 422 15.9
Conservative James Warner Tye 393 14.8
Liberal Democrats Robert Owen Johns 263 9.9
Rejected ballots 74 2.8
Turnout 2651 25.99 +4.71
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour hold Swing

Norton

[edit]
Norton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Tony Creed* 1,922 50.2
Conservative Steve Clark* 1,747 45.6
Conservative Alan Harry Hopwood 1,524 39.8
Labour Matthew Robert Broad 1111 29.0
Labour Benjamin James McCloskey 925 24.2
Labour Alexander Rhys Quarrie-Jones 864 22.6
Green Ant Dugmore 739 19.3
Green Stephen James Price 695 18.1
Green Olof Lee 649 16.9
Liberal Democrats Elaine Catherine Sheppard 270 7.0
Rejected ballots 29 0.8
Turnout 3830 41.87 +4.67
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Pedmore and Stourbridge East

[edit]
Pedmore and Stourbridge East
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Marshall Kettle* 1,924 48.9
Conservative James Robert Clinton* 1,836 46.7
Conservative Jason Thorne 1,522 38.7
Labour Mark Christopher Kent 1212 30.8
Labour Ceri Wynn Owens 1138 28.9
Labour Paul Robert Hebron 1058 26.9
Liberal Democrats Nigel Paul Kirkham 662 16.8
Liberal Democrats David John Sheppard 447 11.4
Liberal Democrats Vi Wood 446 11.3
Green Beth Scrimshaw 416 10.6
Rejected ballots 29 0.7
Turnout 3932 42.23 +6.03
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood

[edit]
Quarry Bank and Dudley Wood
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jackie Cowell* 1,190 49.3
Labour Luke Hamblett 1,062 44.0
Labour Ashley Smith 1,039 43.0
Conservative Robert Edward Clinton* 975 40.4
Conservative Jennie Dunn 825 34.2
Conservative Lisa Joan Jones 655 27.1
Liberal Democrats Richard Priest 261 10.8
Rejected ballots 35 1.4
Turnout 2415 24.72 +5.50
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Sedgley

[edit]
Sedgley
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Damian Corfield 1,625 45.8
Conservative Ian Sandall 1,468 41.4
Independent Shaun Roger Keasey* 1,110 31.3
Conservative Sat Khan 1043 29.4
Labour Tony Middleton 921 26.0
Labour Hamza Faisal Ahmed 712 20.1
Independent Brad Steven Simms 665 18.8
Labour Jeff Ndlovu 638 18.0
Green Colin Drewery 417 11.8
Green Samson Lee Oakley 263 7.4
Rejected ballots 33 0.9
Turnout 3545 33.26 +3.09
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

St James’s

[edit]
St James’s
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Cathryn Jayne Bayton* 1,410 48.5
Labour Asif Ahmed 1,185 40.7
Labour Caroline Reid* 1,113 38.3
Conservative Sara Bothul* 996 34.2
Conservative Can Ibrahim 759 26.1
Conservative Roman Chapman 757 26.0
Reform UK Richard John Tasker 432 14.9
Green Tomass Jereminovics 256 8.8
Liberal Democrats Richard Wanklin 203 7.0
Rejected ballots 28 1.0
Turnout 2909 28.60 +6.06
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Labour hold Swing

St Thomas’s

[edit]
St Thomas’s
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shaukat Ali* 1,764 49.8
Labour Shazna Azad 1,441 40.7
Labour Adeela Qayyum* 1,410 39.8
Independent Shakeela Bibi 742 21.0
Independent Choudhary Noor-Hussain 679 19.2
Independent Muhammad Najeeb 679 19.2
Conservative Carole Blackmore 675 19.1
Conservative Michael Lewis 640 18.1
Conservative Sajid Hanif 636 18.0
Liberal Democrats John Slim 221 6.2
Green Zia Qari 221 6.2
TUSC David Reynolds 168 4.7
Rejected ballots 46 1.3
Turnout 3540 33.24 +4.13
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Upper Gornal and Woodsetton

[edit]
Upper Gornal and Woodsetton
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Adam Michael Aston 1,534 55.4
Labour Carol June Littler 1,220 44.1
Labour Mushtaq Hussain 950 34.3
Conservative Kane Watton 828 29.9
Conservative Lucy Watton 774 28.0
Conservative William Watton 754 27.2
Reform UK Shaun Farrow 529 19.1
Liberal Democrats Caroline Mary Benton 183 6.6
Rejected ballots 28 1.0
Turnout 2769 28.15 +4.52
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Independent Swing
Labour gain from Independent Swing

Wollaston and Stourbridge Town

[edit]
Wollaston and Stourbridge Town
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Cat Eccles* 2,401 56.4
Labour Andrew Michael Edward Tromans* 1,769 41.6
Labour Jason Robert Griffin 1,647 38.7
Conservative Nicolas Anthony Barlow 1619 38.0
Conservative Lisa Marie Clinton 1358 31.9
Conservative Matt Dudley 1199 28.2
Liberal Democrats Christopher Ashley Bramall 424 10.0
Green Linda Carol Foster 389 9.1
Green Andi Mohr 387 9.1
Freedom Alliance Ken Moore 160 3.8
Rejected ballots 23 0.5
Turnout 4256 41.96 +4.90
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

Wordsley North

[edit]
Wordsley North[21][22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kerry Lewis* 1,662 52.4
Conservative Donna Harley* 1,257 39.7
Labour Keith Archer 1,189 37.5
Conservative Matt Rogers* 1184 37.4
Labour Sarah Daniel 1120 35.3
Labour Kevin Billingham 1113 35.1
Green Pam Archer 277 8.7
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Michael Bramall 140 4.4
Rejected ballots 32 1.0
Turnout 3170 32.58 +5.28
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Local Election 2024 - Count Verification".
  2. ^ "Types of elections". www.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  3. ^ ""Dudley Council election results in full: Tories lose control as they end up level with Labour"". Express and Star. 2024-05-03.
  4. ^ Smith, Martyn (15 May 2024). "Council remains Conservative-led after deal struck". BBC News. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  5. ^ Local Government in England and Wales: A Guide to the New System. London: HMSO. 1974. p. 7. ISBN 0-11-750847-0.
  6. ^ "CONSTITUTION OF THE WEST MIDLANDS COMBINED AUTHORITY" (PDF). Retrieved 4 December 2017.
  7. ^ Farrington, Dayna. "Full election results from Dudley Council as Conservatives gain power". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  8. ^ "Dudley result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  9. ^ "Dudley Council by-election results". Who Can I Vote For?. Archived from the original on 2 Jan 2024. Retrieved 2 Jan 2024.
  10. ^ "Dudley Conservative councillor resigns, triggering by-election". Dudley News. 2023-07-18. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  11. ^ O'Brien, Lisa (2023-08-25). "Labour wins by-election called at Dudley Council". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  12. ^ Smith, Adam (2023-10-24). "Dudley councillor suspended by party over sexual harassment allegation". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  13. ^ "Former Labour councillor says he'll sit as an independent amid suspension drama". Dudley News. 2023-10-30. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  14. ^ Andrews, Mark (2023-10-03). "Tory Dudley councillor quits party, claiming it has become 'extreme'". www.expressandstar.com. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  15. ^ "Veteran Tory councillor's shock resignation sparks 'arrogance' row". Stourbridge News. 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-03-23.
  16. ^ "Composition of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council". Open Councill Data UK. Archived from the original on 2 Jan 2024. Retrieved 2 Jan 2024.
  17. ^ "Local Government Boundary Review". www.dudley.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  18. ^ LGBCE. "Dudley | LGBCE". www.lgbce.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-02.
  19. ^ "Live Local Election Results 2024".
  20. ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF).
  21. ^ "Live Local Election Results 2024".
  22. ^ "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED AND NOTICE OF POLL" (PDF).
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