Tory party fare best at local elections

THURSDAY’S elections were never going to change which group has overall control of Huntingdonshire District Council, but it provided a chance for the Lib Dems and Labour to make gains into the ruling Conservative group majority.

However, it was the Tory group which fared the best on a night when there was little movement in previous voting patterns. The Conservatives ended the night with one additional councillor.

Despite losing the seat vacated by their former leader – Derek Holley’s Huntingdon East Ward - and St Neots Priory Park Ward to the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives gained both Buckden and Gransden and The Offords (the former from the Lib Dems, the latter from an Independent who did not stand.) and St Neots Eynesbury Ward (Lib Dems.)

All the other wards involved in the elections returned the same councillor or a candidate from the same political group.

Alconbury and The Stukeleys Ward

Electorate: 2481

Poll: 51.3 per cent

Result:

Keith Morton Baker (Con) 820

David Michael Brown (Lab) 65

Ann Monk (Lib Dem) 315

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

Buckden Ward

Electorate: 2547

Poll: 51.6 per cent

Result:

Richard William Desmond Bailey (Con) 745

Deidre Mary Lee (Lab) 51

Mark George Rainer (Lib Dem) 516

CONSERVATIVE GAIN FROM LIB DEM

Earith Ward

Electorate: 4635

Poll: 34.4 per cent

Result:

Susan Margaret Coomey (Lab) 107

Leona Graham - Elen (Lib Dem) 389

Terence Victor Rogers* (Con) 1082

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

Elton and Folksworth Ward

Electorate: 2130

Poll: 42 per cent

Result:

Margaret Cochrane (Lab) 70

John Robert Davidson (Lib Dem) 169

Nicholas John Guyatt* (Con) 640

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

Godmanchester Ward

Electorate: 4596

Poll: 42.2 per cent

Result:

William Francis Hennessey (Lab) 129

Colin Richard Hyams* (Con) 984

Graham Martin Wilson (Lib Dem) 834

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

Gransden and The Offords Ward

Electorate: 3511

Poll: 41.6 per cent

Result:

Julia Martha Hayward (Lib Dem) 310

David Robert Nicholls (Lab) 93

Richard John West (Con) 1048

CONSERVATIVE GAIN FROM INDEPENDENT

Huntingdon East Ward

Electorate: 6784

Poll: 39.2 per cent

Result:

David Mitchell King (Lab) 247

Susan Marie Mulcahy (Con) 1073

David John Priestman (Lib Dem) 1326

LIB DEM GAIN FROM CONSERVATIVE

Huntingdon West Ward

Electorate: 4326

Poll: 31.4 per cent

Result:

Ann Elizabeth Beevor (Lab) 139

Michael Philip Burrell (Lib Dem) 365

John Michael Sadler* (Con) 872

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

Ramsey Ward

Electorate: 6467

Poll: 32.3 per cent

Result:

Raymond Powell* (Lib Dem) 1042

David Wallwork (Con) 1026

LIB DEM HOLD

Sawtry Ward

Electorate: 5132

Poll: 37.2 per cent

Result:

Marie Theresa Baker (Lab) 72

John Edward Garner* (Ind) 978

John Michael Souter (Lib Dem) 186

Iris Shula Weatherley (Con) 664

INDEPENDENT HOLD

St Ives East Ward

Electorate: 5047

Poll: 28.4 per cent

Result:

Deborah Christine Reynolds* (Con) 722

Angela Louise Richards (Lab) 144

Robin Sherwood Waters (Lib Dem) 374

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

St Ives South Ward

Electorate: 4810

Poll: 35.4 per cent

Result:

Richard John Allen (Lab) 142

Douglas Bernard Dew * (Con) 934

David Frederick Hodge (Lib Dem) 606

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

St Neots Eynesbury Ward

Electorate: 7276

Poll: 28.6 per cent

Result:

Andrew Norman Gilbert (Con) 1012

William O'Connor (Lab) 217

Ian Pele Taylor* (Lib Dem) 840

CONSERVATIVE GAIN

St Neots Priory Park Ward

Electorate: 4565

Poll: 35.5 per cent

Result:

Robert William Joseph Eaton (Lib Dem) 870

Patricia Anne Nicholls (Lab) 124

Paul Keith Ursell (Con) 619

LIB DEM GAIN FROM CONSERVATIVE

The Hemingfords Ward

Electorate: 4581

Poll: 45.3 per cent

Result:

Jennifer Elizabeth Sefton (Lib Dem) 597

Christopher John Stephens* (Con) 1356

John Philip Watson (Lab) 109

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

Warboys and Bury Ward

Electorate: 4709

Poll: 37.2 per cent

Result:

Peter Leonard Ernest Bucknell* (Con) 1012

Mary Theresa Howell (Lab) 90

Terry Palmer (Lib Dem) 643

CONSERVATIVE HOLD

Yaxley and Farcet Ward

Electorate: 7644

Poll: 26.8 per cent

Result:

Madhabi Banerjee* (Con) 1,353

Graeme Leslie Watkins (Labour and Co-operative) 651

CONSERVATIVE HOLD