Tories smash Labour in county election
RESULTS ARE IN FOR DERBYSHIRE AS STAFFORDSHIRE
THE Conservatives won a clean sweep in South Derbyshire after picking up a key seat in Swadlincote and extending their majority in the county council elections.
Prior to the election, the Conservatives had 36 councillors on Derbyshire County Council and Labour had 24.
Now, the Tories have 45 seats and Labour 14. The Liberal Democrats have four seats and the Green Party has one.
Labour lost its seat in Swadlincote North to the Conservatives, who also held on to Swadlincote Central and Swadlincote South and completed a clean sweep of South Derbyshire.
Tory councillor for Swadlincote Central Gary Musson said he was “very pleased” with the result and for the party to get a “clean sweep” in South Derbyshire.
The Conservatives also held on to Hilton, where the winning candidate Julie Patten dedicated her victory to her husband, who passed away earlier this year.
She said in her victory speech: “My biggest supporter is not with me but I am delighted after what has been a very difficult time. I really appreciate the continued support.”
Aston, Melbourne, Linton and Etwall and Repton also stayed blue – completing a Tory clean sweep across the district.
Elsewhere in Derbyshire, former Conservative MP for South Derbyshire Edwina Currie failed in her attempt to rejoin the political world. She lost to a fellow former MP, Labour’s Ruth George, who retained Whaley Bridge with a 700vote margin.
The Tories made major gains in former Labour strongholds in Derbyshire, including Bolsover, where the party has won three out of six divisions, and the seats of Alfreton and Somercotes, in Amber Valley. Labour’s county council opposition group will need to find a replacement for leader Paul Smith, who lost his seat in Alfreton and Somercotes. The ward’s two available seats were won by Tories David Wilson and Philip Rose.
Deputy leader Mick Wall lost his seat in Loundsley Green and Newbold in a defeat to the Liberal Democrat candidate Ed Fordham by just 74 votes.
Staffordshire’s count is taking
place today, with the results announced as they come in from 9am via our live blog on our website. See Monday’s Mail for a full round-up of all the local election results.
Above are the full results from the Derbyshire County Council elections for the seats in South Derbyshire.