Conservatives win overall control of Warwickshire County Council
THE Conservatives have won overall control of Warwickshire County Council - a result described as 'amazing' by the group's leader.
The party made significant gains at the polls yesterday, winning 36 of the council's 57 seats. It previously held 26 seats.
It was a bad night for Labour with the party winning just ten seats, it previously had 22, while the Liberal Democrats lost two of its nine councillors.
Among the Labour casualties was its leader, long serving Nuneaton councillor June Tandy.
It was an uneventful evening, however, in the 13 Stratford divisions with all being held
by their respective parties.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, leader of the Conservative group and the council, said: “It was an amazing result for Conservatives in Warwickshire, giving us a strong majority in the county.
“Having a majority will enable us to see through our plans, which have been blocked and delayed by opposition members in the past. “The people of Warwickshire have seen the results of a well run Conservative council for the last four years and want more of the same.”
The results are as follows:
Alcester – Turnout 40.6%
Mark David Cargill (Conservative) 1841Andrew Mark Foster (Labour) 161Susan Juned (Liberal Democrat) 1227Duncan Parker (Green Party) 106
Arden – Turnout 35.9%
Mark Griffiths (Green Party) 187John Nicholas Horner (Conservative) 2451Karyl Arlene Rees (Liberal Democrat) 365
Bidford & Welford – Turnout 38.3%
Mike Brain (Conservative) 1945Debbie Griffiths (Green Party) 150William Bruce Horton (Liberal Democrat) 702Graham Stanley Credland Porter (UKIP) 178Cat Price (Labour) 323
Feldon – Turnout 37.3%
Pat Hotson (Green Party) 174Matthew Joseph Panton (Labour) 356Bob Stevens (Conservative) 1901Bev Veasey-Walshe (Liberal Democrat) 436
Kineton & Red Horse – Turnout 42.1%
Rob Ballantyne (Green Party) 114Edward Leslie Fila (UKIP) 143Patrick Thomas Jenkins (Labour) 17Laura Catherine Steele (Liberal Democrat) 1218Chris Williams (Conservative) 1351
Shipston-on-Stour – Turnout 39.9%
Jo Barker (Conservative) 2011Roger Graham Billins (Liberal Democrat) 647John William Hartigan (Labour) 227Dave Passingham (Green Party) 176
Southam, Stockton & Napton – Turnout 36.3%
Andy Crump (Conservative) 1854Ros Grant (Labour) 514Andrew William Wilton (Liberal Democrat) 127Derek Price (Green Party) 129
Stour and the Vale – Turnout 40.5%
Dean Owen Jones (Green Party) 171Izzi Seccombe (Conservative) 1862Jan Sewell (Labour) 199Di Walden (Liberal Democrat) 278
Stratford North – Turnout 35.2%
John Allan Hartley (Labour) 244Tony Jefferson (Conservative) 753Keith Lloyd (Stratford First) 876Dominic Edmund Paul Skinner (Liberal Democrat) 640John David Scott (Green Party) 134
Stratford South – Turnout 46.5%
Philip Applin (Conservative) 1437Emma Frances Bradley (Labour) 258Tony Dennis (Green Party) 119Kate Rolfe (Liberal Democrat) 1949
Stratford West – Turnout 41.3%
Jenny Fradgley (Liberal Democrat) 1608Jonathan Edward Gullis (Conservative) 849John Riley (Green Party) 86Eleanor Brenda Marie Whitehead (Labour) 177
Studley – Turnout 39.1%
Alistair Goddon (Green Party) 67Justin Antony Lee Kerridge (Conservative) 1170Chris Pilkington (Labour) 270Clive Anthony Rickhards (Liberal Democrat) 1195
Wellesbourne – Turnout 43.7%
James Thomas Briggs (Labour) 163Roger Fisher (Green Party) 110David William Johnston (Liberal Democratic) 1201Anne Vivienne Parry (Conservative) 1852Frank Rietz (UKIP) 122
Redrawn boundaries meant the overall number of seats on the county council was reduced this year from 63 to 57.
The new make-up of the council is: Conservative 36, Labour ten, Lib Dem 7, Green 2, Stratford First one, Whitnash Residents' Association one.
The by-election in Stratford District Council's Ettington ward was won by the Conservatives' Penny-Anne O'Donnell.
The result was:
Bill Dowling (Liberal Democrat) 227Penny-Anne O’Donnell (Conservative) 949Dave Passingham (Green Party) 102
It was called following the resignation last month of Philip Seccombe. The Conservative quit to concentrate on his role as Warwickshire Police and Crime Commissioner.
The turnout was 47.2 per cent.
The make up of the council is: Conservative 30 seats, Lid Dem four, Labour one, Independent one.
To see the full breakdown of results by areas and wards click here.
The Salford Priors Neighbourhood Plan also went to a referendum with villagers voting to accept it, with 86.8 per cent voting yes and 13.2 per cent voting no.
The turnout was 39.1 per cent.
Neighbourhood Plans have previously been adopted in Kineton and Long Compton.
