THE CONSERVATIVES have strengthened their grip on the council after gaining councillors at the latest local elections.
The party maintained their stranglehold on Stratford District Council by securing 15 of the 18 seats on offer last night (Thursday).
While nine Tory candidates managed to hold their seats, notable scalps came in the form of gains from the Alcester and Stratford Avenue and New Town wards – seats previously held by Lib Dems Susan and Clive Thomas.
However, married Lib Dem candidates Ian and Jenny Fradgeley were re-elected in Stratford Alveston and Stratford Guild and Hathaway respectively while Hazel Wright also held her seat.
But the Conservatives picked up posts in Harbury, Wellesbourne and Snitterfield – all from independent candidates who opted not to stand for re-election.
And while both Labour and UKIP performed well nationally, the same couldn’t be said in Stratford district as neither party were able to win seats on the council.
For full reaction see next week’s Stratford Observer.
71 candidates contested 18 seats at the Stratford District Council elections on Thursday (May 22).
The results are as follows:
Asterisk denotes sitting councillor standing again
Alcester – Turnout 41.5 per cent
Mark Cargill (Cons) – 771 Elected
Andrew Foster (Lab) – 224
Debbie Griffiths (Green) – 50
Susan Juned* (Lib Dem) – 658
Clive McNally (UKIP) – 298
Bidford and Salford – Turnout 36.5 per cent
Maureen Ashfield (Lab) – 244
Trevor Honychurch (Lib Dem) – 206
Neil Lawrence (UKIP) – 569
Daren Pemberton* (Cons) – 958 Elected
Brailes – Turnout 47.2 per cent
Paul Kelly (Lib Dem) – 79
David Passingham (Green) – 92
Philip Seccombe* (Cons) – 580 Elected
Jackie Warner (Lab) – 102
Harbury – Turnout 42.6 per cent
Jacqueline Abbott (Lab) – 178
Alan Guy (Lib Dem) – 400
Chris Kettle (Cons) – 880 Elected
Duncan Parker (Green) – 133
Kinwarton – Turnout 47.2 per cent
Lynn Bowring (Lib Dem) – 234
Mike Gittus* (Cons) – 521 Elected
John Hartigan (Lab) – 70
Long Compton – Turnout 44.8 per cent
Stephen Gray* (Cons) – 467 Elected
Amber McNicholas (Lab) – 84
Laura Nelson (Lib Dem) – 81
Ben Roden (UKIP) – 172
Long Itchington – Turnout 39.9 per cent
Victoria Alcock (Lib Dem) – 50
James Briggs (Lab) – 261
Dave Riches (Cons) – 461 Elected
Quinton – Turnout 39.1 per cent
Mike Brain* (Cons) – 603 Elected
John Insoll (Lib Dem) – 84
Emma Rowlands (Lab) – 104
Sambourne – Turnout 43.3 per cent
Tracy Doherty (Lab) – 64
Julian Ingram (Lib Dem) – 110
Justin Kerridge* (Cons) – 474 Elected
Snitterfield – Turnout 49.7 per cent
Samuel Hargreaves (Lab) – 52
Sue Main (Ind) – 237
Rosie Parker (Green) – 93
Peter Richards (Cons) – 365 Elected
Diane Walden (Lib Dem) – 42
Southam – Turnout 33.9 per cent
Jonathan Bush (UKIP) – 515
Jennie Ellard* (Cons) – 713 Elected
Victoria Parker (Green) – 118
Jane Soni (Lab) – 399
Stratford Alveston – Turnout 44.9 per cent
Phil Applin (Cons) – 1,013
Ian Fradgley* (Lib Dem) – 1,141 Elected
Paul Offer (UKIP) – 365
Stephen Troup (Lab) – 226
Stratford Avenue and New Town – Turnout 33.6 per cent
Jason Fojtik (Lab) – 485
Tony Jefferson (Cons) – 686 Elected
Marie Mawson (UKIP) – 444
Clive Thomas* (Lib Dem) – 572
Stratford Guild and Hathaway – Turnout 41.6 per cent
Ron Cockings (Cons) – 644
Jenny Fradgley* (Lib Dem) – 1,152 Elected
Andrew Henderson (Lab) – 268
Helen Wallace (UKIP) – 472
Studley – Turnout 38 per cent
Wayne Bates (Lab) – 298
Simon Lawton (Cons) – 372
Hazel Wright* (Lib Dem) – 1,041 Elected
Tanworth – Turnout 37.9 per cent
Mark Griffiths (Green) – 52
John James (UKIP) – 348
Peter Oakley* (Cons) – 692 Elected
Karyl Rees (Lib Dem) – 58
Janice Sewell (Lab) – 61
Vale of the Red Horse – Turnout 46.5 per cent
Stuart Payne (Lab) – 123
Gill Roache* (Cons) – 546 Elected
Bruce Robertson (Lib Dem) – 54
Malcolm Temple (UKIP) – 170
Wellesbourne – Turnout 43.6 per cent
Ina Brooks (UKIP) – 605
Marc Forbes-McGlen (Lib Dem) – 611
Ros Grant (Green) – 112
Harry Lesser (Lab) – 170
Anne Parry (Cons) – 908 Elected
Overall turnout: 40.5 per cent
The current political standings of the Council’s 53 seats are:
Conservatives – 35 seats
Liberal Democrats – 12 seats
Labour – 1 seat
Independents – 2 seats
Stratford First Independent – 2 seats
1 vacancy (Southam)
