‘I hoped voters would realise what they’d lost’
TORY COUNCILLOR WINS BACK SEAT AFTER SEVEN-MONTH HIATUS
THE blue wave that swept the country in the General Election also brought back a familiar face to the Colne Valley.
Former councillor Donna Bellamy, who lost her seat to Labour in the district elections last May, was re-elected.
And she said: “I’m pleased to be back.”
Clr Bellamy, who had served the ward for eight years until she was defeated by Labour’s Lesley Warner seven months ago, said she had continued to be involved in local causes during the hiatus.
She will serve just over two years and face re-election in 2022.
In what turned out to be a triumphant night for the Conservatives nationally her success locally followed a tag-team approach to campaigning with Jason McCartney, who was reelected as MP for Colne Valley.
He defeated Labour’s Thelma Walker, who in turn had defeated him in 2017.
Speaking after the announcement of the results of the by-election - which was called following the resignation of Labour councillor Nell Griffiths due to ill health - Clr Bellamy said: “I’m pleased to be back, I really am.
“I’ve never stopped working. Even after I lost my seat in May I carried on.
“It’s been business as usual, just without the title of councillor. I’m still involved in all the groups.
“I hoped that Colne Valley voters would vote for me to come back after they realised what they had lost.”
Referring to her colleague Mr McCartney, whose campaign received support from Conservative big-hitters including Matt Hancock, Robert Jenrick and David Davies, she added: “We have team-worked it.
“His team has been my team, and vice-versa. We have all worked together and this is the result.
“Now I want to concentrate on and start sticking up for Colne Valley and make sure it’s back on the Kirklees Council agenda.”
Clr Bellamy polled 4,504 votes on Thursday - 46% of the votes and 1,196 higher than her nearest rival Duggs Carre (Labour) who got 3,308. Robert Iredale (Lib Dems) came third with 1,386 and Ian Vincent (Greens) was fourth with 646.
In the other district by-election former councillor Eric Firth was re-elected for Labour in Dewsbury East.
The results of the by-elections mean the political make-up of Kirklees Council is now as follows:
Labour: 35
Conservative: 17
Lib Dems: 10
Greens: 3
Independents: 3
Dewsbury Borough Independents: 1 The ruling Labour group has a majority of one.