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Conservatives tighten grip on Hertsmere
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| Hertsmere Borough Council, based in Elstree Way, Borehamwood, has 31 Tory councillors out of 39 |
The Conservative Party has strengthened its hold on Hertsmere Borough Council.
Results from yesterday's polls around the borough were announced this morning, with the Tories making gains across the board.
The party now holds 31 of the authority's 39 seats. The Liberal Democrats have five councillors, down two, and Labour has three, down one.
One Conservative gain was in Borehamwood's
Brookmeadow ward, with Andrew Zucker removing Labour's Ian Feeney.
Residents voted in 13 wards across the borough, with the biggest shock coming in
Bushey North, where Liberal Democrat group leader Robert Gamble lost out to Steve O'Brien.
Council leader Morris Bright said: "Brookmeadow is a good result. I'm particularly glad that the turn out is up. Labour have polled their most votes ever and so have we.
"I could not be more delighted. We will have 31 out of the council's 39 seats. Everyone has taken this campaign seriously.
"It's not just winning for winning's sake. We already had a huge majority, but people still took it seriously and that's a credit to the candidates. But we still have a lot to do."
Labour leader Ann Harrison kept her seat in Borehamwood's
Cowley Hill ward by just 40 votes.
She held off the challenge from the Conservative candidate Farida Turner.
After collecting 640 votes she reflected on her win and Mr Feeney's loss.
She said: "I'm delighted to get back in, but we are very sorry to lose Ian.
"I know he was only there for a year, but he was a very good councillor and hopefully we can get him back in the future.
"Looking at the results nationally I was wondering whether I should even go to the count, but it is gratifying that people came out and voted."
Conservative councillor Hannah David held her Borehamwood
Hillside ward with a big majority.
She picked up 1,091 votes to Labour candidate Peter Hedges' 473. Gavin Whenman, the only Liberal Democrat candidate to stand in the town, received 220 votes.
Mrs David said: "I'm delighted. I can now carry on with my job. You never take anything for granted in politics but it instills confidence that I'm doing a good job."
Writing on his blog, Mr Whenman said: "The lesson for the Lib Dems in Hertsmere is that this is a Tory borough, and it will take a lot of hard work and patience to change that."
Turn out was higher than expected, averaging around 35 to 38 per cent in the majority of wards.
The highest figure came in
Aldenham East, where John Graham returned a massive majority from a turn out of 40 per cent.
In contrast, Cowley Hill's tight result came with just 26.6 per cent of eligible voters visiting the ballot box.
Click here for the full results in Borehamwood, Shenley and Aldenham.
12:17pm Friday 2nd May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Freddy, Elstree on 2:34pm Fri 2 May 08
Well done Hannah - the biggest majority for Conservatives in Borehamwood ever. You are a credit to your constituents who you serve so well.
Well done Hannah - the biggest majority for Conservatives in Borehamwood ever. You are a credit to your constituents who you serve so well.
Posted by: Graham Barker, Borehamwood on 3:02pm Fri 2 May 08
Thrilled at the Tory's doing it again hope they can do it nationally Ms david has been our Councillor for the past four years and has a done a fantastic job
Thrilled at the Tory's doing it again hope they can do it nationally Ms david has been our Councillor for the past four years and has a done a fantastic job
Posted by: Richard Hunt, Borehamwood on 3:13pm Fri 2 May 08
Mrs David has been a real help to me and my family over the last 4 years and she is just a great councillor. Well done!!
Mrs David has been a real help to me and my family over the last 4 years and she is just a great councillor. Well done!!
Posted by: Tim Sandle, Borehamwood on 11:19pm Sat 3 May 08
Morris Bright is mistaken in his analyis of the votes cast in Brookmeadow. This wasn't the Labour party's or the Conservative party's biggest vote in Brookmeadow. Ignoring the 'old' Brookmeadow ward, the area constitutd before the 1999 local government re-organisation, Labour scored 1,386 votes in winning the war in 2001 and the Conservative Party 878 votes (with the Liberal Democrats securing 497 votes). The counter response may well be that this election was held the same day as Labour's second general election victory, but facts are facts. Hitherto, Labour's highest vote was 715 in 1999. For the old, much lamented Brookmeadow Ward I secured 85% of the vote in 1995 as a Labour and Co-operative candidate in the first of my three spells as ward councillor. Those days are now long gone...
The mood of the country has changed, to an extent, but Borehamwood has also undergone a demographic shift.
Morris Bright is mistaken in his analyis of the votes cast in Brookmeadow. This wasn't the Labour party's or the Conservative party's biggest vote in Brookmeadow. Ignoring the 'old' Brookmeadow ward, the area constitutd before the 1999 local government re-organisation, Labour scored 1,386 votes in winning the war in 2001 and the Conservative Party 878 votes (with the Liberal Democrats securing 497 votes). The counter response may well be that this election was held the same day as Labour's second general election victory, but facts are facts. Hitherto, Labour's highest vote was 715 in 1999. For the old, much lamented Brookmeadow Ward I secured 85% of the vote in 1995 as a Labour and Co-operative candidate in the first of my three spells as ward councillor. Those days are now long gone...
The mood of the country has changed, to an extent, but Borehamwood has also undergone a demographic shift.
Posted by: Leon, borehamwood on 9:43am Sun 4 May 08
Oh Freddy did you have to be SO obvious in supporting your wife?!
Oh Freddy did you have to be SO obvious in supporting your wife?!
Posted by: lisa, borehamwood on 7:01pm Tue 6 May 08
whilst i was cleaning my car a week before the election, the local labour candidate was out canvassing, now they knocked on evey door and missed me out...ummmm i think i am not worthy of a knock at the door, so i asked, only to be told that according to there records i don't vote...I do, always have done since i could, oh well says the canvasser you don't vote labour then, no your right i don't, but how would they know as i thought my vote was between me and the ballot box, apparently not, apparently after some investigations last week it does appear that councillors can retrieve this information as to has voted for them, which i find a complete infringement as far as data potection is concerned...quite frankly ALL PARTIES how bloody dare you!! I shall be sending this complaint into the ministry of justice, it's between me the ballot box and WHOEVER i decide to discuss this with not for general infomation for whoever wants to know, but then my child benefit records are out there for general use too so why am i not surprised!!!
whilst i was cleaning my car a week before the election, the local labour candidate was out canvassing, now they knocked on evey door and missed me out...ummmm i think i am not worthy of a knock at the door, so i asked, only to be told that according to there records i don't vote...I do, always have done since i could, oh well says the canvasser you don't vote labour then, no your right i don't, but how would they know as i thought my vote was between me and the ballot box, apparently not, apparently after some investigations last week it does appear that councillors can retrieve this information as to has voted for them, which i find a complete infringement as far as data potection is concerned...quite frankly ALL PARTIES how bloody dare you!! I shall be sending this complaint into the ministry of justice, it's between me the ballot box and WHOEVER i decide to discuss this with not for general infomation for whoever wants to know, but then my child benefit records are out there for general use too so why am i not surprised!!!
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