Big night for shocks as veterans ousted
THERE were shocks galore in the Cheshire East Council elections with several veteran councillors losing their seats.
In Macclesfield Central, Conservative Beverley Dooley swept in to oust Labour veteran Ken Edwards, while his colleague Janet Jackson retained her seat.
The was a double blow for the independents in Tytherington ward where Ainsley Arnold and Sam Gardner stormed to glory, ousting a shell-shocked Brendan Murphy and Lloyd Roberts.
Mr Murphy said: “It’s very, very sad, that after 17 years of service to the people of Tytherington it has come to an end.
“I have loved doing this. Helping people has been my hobby.”
Bollington Tory Bill Livesley lost his seat to Amanda Stott, who represents Bollington First. The other seat remained Conservative, with Jonathon Weston taking the spoils.
Independent candidate and former police sergeant Mick Warren won in Macclesfield East, beating the incumbent Liberal Democrat David Neilson.
Coun Warren said: “I am really looking forward to getting on with the job.
“I love where I live and I want to improve it.”
Labour duo Alift Harewood and Nicholas Mannion won a very close race for Macclesfield West and Ivy seats.
The Conservatives retained their seats in Chelford, with George Walton, and Poynton East and Pott Shrigley with Jos Saunders and Howard Murray.
Paul Findlow retained his seat in Prestbury, as did Hilda Gaddum in Sutton, Lesley Smetham in Gawsworth and Harold Davenport in Disley.
The Tories also held onto both seats in Broken Cross and Upton ward with Liz Durham and Martin Hardy.
Labour’s Stephen Carter won in Hurdsfield while in Macclesfield South Labour’s Laura Jeuda retained her seat. The Conservatives kept Damien Druce’s former seat with Chris Andrew.
Coun Carter said he was delighted to be re-elected.
He has vowed to try and get the current library extended to create a new community hall and to sort out problems with parking and dog fouling.
The results helped the Conservatives retain control of the council with 53 out of 82 seats, an increase on four years ago.
Labour retained its 16 seats, while the pain for the Lib Dems from the national decline continued, as they lost two of their four seats.
The number of independents or other parties rose to 11.