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.

Nick 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