Conservatives gain seats in Stratford district council by-elections
The Tories gained two seats and lost one as 17 of the authority’s seats were contested.
The Liberal Democrats’ fortunes mirrored their results in the south of England, where they go head to head with Conservatives for control; losing, but not as badly as in the north.
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Hide AdNick Clegg’s party gained one seat but lost three in the Stratford polls, in which results were sometimes decided by dozens of votes. Turnout varied greatly across the authority, with Chris Spencer (Con) being elected unopposed on Long Itchington.
In a by-election in Harbury, Richard Hamburger won for the Tories by 994 votes to the Liberal Democrats’ 950, while in Wellesbourne new Conservative Danny Kendall defeated incumbent Liberal Democrat David Close by 358 votes.
Chris Mills (Con) cantered to victory in Kineton, with Liberal Democrat John Insoll polling ony 17 more votes than the Green Party challenger Robert Ballantyne.
David Wise held his Southam seat, with Carol Pratt proving Labour is still a force to be reckoned with in the town, well ahead of trailing Liberal Democrat Peter Hedges.
Results
Alcester – Turnout 48.1%
Andrew Foster (Lab) - 326
Katherine Long (Lib Dem) - 366
Eric Payne (Cons) - 1612 -Elected
Bidford & Salford – Turnout 43.8%
Barry Doherty (Lab) - 354
Bill Fleming (VOX POP Ind) - 881
Maurice Howse (Cons) – 1136 - Elected
Fenny Compton – Turnout 55.4%
David Booth (Lib Dem) - 336
Chris Williams (Cons) – 695- Elected
Harbury (by-election) – Turnout 53.5%
Richard Hamburger (Cons) – 994 - Elected
Sue Roderick (Lib Dem) - 950
Henley – Turnout 48.2%
James Handy (Lib Dem) - 169
John Hartigan (Lab) - 192
Bill Leech (Henley and Beaudesert Ind Cons) - 335
George Matheou (Cons) – 1027 - Elected
Kineton – Turnout 50.3%
Robert Ballantyne (Green) - 261
John Insoll (Lib Dem) - 278
Chris Mills (Cons) – 1109 - Elected
Long Itchington (uncontested by-election)
Chris Spencer (Cons) - Elected
Shipston – Turnout 49.6%
Christopher Aston (Lab) - 262
Jon Gullis (Cons) – 883 - Elected
Philip Vial (Lib Dem) - 866
Southam – Turnout 44.1%
Peter Hedges (Lib Dem) - 254
Carol Pratt (Lab) - 772
David Wise (Cons) – 1162 - Elected
Stockton & Napton - Turnout 52.6%
Steven Kittendorf (Lib Dem) – 673 - Elected
Richard Lamb (Cons) - 316
Stratford Alveston – Turnout 51.6%
Tracy Doherty (Lab) - 359
Janette Dyson (Lib Dem) - 1044
Lynda Organ (Cons) – 1560 - Elected
Stratford Avenue and New Town – Turnout 41.9%
Roy Dyer (Lib Dem) - 514
Ian Hurst (Cons) - 796
Keith Lloyd (Stratford First Ind) – 1009 - Elected
Stephen Troup (Lab) - 254
Stratford Guild and Hathaway – Turnout 47.8%
Neville Beamer (Cons) – 1458- Elected
Louise Brandon (Lib Dem) - 739
Samuel Hargreaves (Lab) - 381
Jon Packard (Stratford First Ind) - 221
Stratford Mount Pleasant – Turnout 41.1%
Andrew Henderson (Lab) - 177
Bill Lowe (Stratford First Ind) - 222
Peter Moorse (Lib Dem) – 648 - Elected
Karen Parnell (Con) - 353
Studley – Turnout 44.2%
Wayne Bates (Lab) - 462
Eric Holder (Lib Dem) – 788 - Elected
Mike Weddell (Cons) – 774
Tredington – Turnout 57.5%
Jeffery Kenner (Lab) - 142
Chris Saint (Cons) – 733 - Elected
Rachel Vial (Lib Dem) - 208
Welford – Turnout 68.5%
Peter Barnes (Lib Dem) – 675 - Elected
Philip Heath (Lab) - 59
Robert Vaudry (Cons) - 416
Wellesbourne – Turnout 54.5%
David Close (Lib Dem) - 1186
Roger Fisher (Green) - 267
Danny Kendall (Cons) – 1544 - Elected
The current political standings of the Council’s 53 seats are:
Conservatives - 34 seats
Liberal Democrats - 16 seats
Independents – 2 seats
Stratford First Independent – 1 seat