Successful poll day for Hunts Tories

HUNTINGDONSHIRE Conservatives prevailed in all three of the by-elections in the district yesterday (Thursday).

Andy Monk retained the Ramsey Ward on Huntingdonshire District Council left vacant by the death of Ross Muir in December.

The UK Independence Party took second place, comfortably ahead of the Liberal Democrat candidate.

The Tories also took the two seats on Huntingdon Town Council left vacant by resignations. Claire Dutton and Michelle Turnbull will be the new councillors, polling comfortably ahead of the Liberal Democrats in a 21 per cent turnout.

More people might have voted if the town council had remembered to order polling cards to remind voters in East Ward that an election was taking place.

Town clerk Karen Cameron said: "Voting cards are issued by Huntingdonshire District Council to the postal address of every elector, as standard in the case of all elections, with the exception of by-elections organised for town and parish councils, unless they are specifically requested.

"As town clerk, I was not aware of this policy, nor was the council advised in the run-up to the by-election that such a policy existed, or invited to request a despatch of polling cards, despite a council resolution in 2006 to fund any provision of polling cards in by-elections organised in Huntingdon."

By the time HTC realised the omission and contacted HDC it was too late to print and despatch them, she added.

"A specific request will be made to the elections officer to issue voting cards for any future by-election."

Results

Huntingdonshire District Council - Ramsey Ward

Andy Monk (Conservative) 626 (elected)

Robert Mumford (Liberal Democrat) 432

Peter Reeve (UKIP) 520

Graham Watkins (Labour) 67

Huntingdon Town Council - East Ward

Ann Beevor (Lab) 150

Jacqueline Buck (LD) 562

Beatrice Claire Dutton (Con) 751 (elected)

David King (Lab) 103

Patricia Shrapnel (LD) 567

Michelle Turnbull (Con) 716 (elected)