Tories’ shock win over Labour after tie-breaker
THERE was a massive shock in the Halton local elections after the Conservatives beat Labour in one seat following a tie breaker, with the winner having to be drawn from an envelope.
It was the second time the winner of a Halton seat has had to be decided by such a tiebreaker, with the previous occasion in 2008 making national news.
With the count underway late on Thursday night at the DCBL Stadium in Widnes, all eyes were on Daresbury, Moore & Sandymoor as the Conservatives sensed the opportunity to seize the seat, which only 12 months ago saw the borough’s first and only Green councillor elected.
Following several recounts, votes were tied between Conservative and Labour on 398.
To decide the winner, the names of both candidates were put in an envelope and returning officer Ian Leivesley selected one, with the winner being announced as teacher Sian Davidson.
Taking to Twitter, she said: “Absolutely delighted to share that I have been elected as the Conservative councillor for Daresbury, Moore and Sandymoor.
“Thank you so much to everyone who voted for me and to everyone who has helped during my campaign.”
It was a blow to the Greens who finished third on 372.
Last year it became their first and only seat on Halton Borough Council.
Green Richard Kinchin, who had replaced last year’s winner Andrew Dyer as candidate after he announced plans to step down, said: “Ugh. Lost a Green council seat to the Tories by just 27 votes.
“Now there’s no Green voice on Halton Borough Council.
“We’ll evaluate, build up our strength, and hopefully get me elected next year.”
Halton was the first council in England to declare on Thursday night, beating the usual frontrunner Sunderland.
Elsewhere in the borough there were few surprises, but the Conservatives finished a strong second in two of their former Widnes strongholds – Birchfield and Farnworth.
Emma Garner will be a new face for Labour on the council, having won in Bridgewater.
On his party’s performance, Labour’s council leader Mike Wharton, said: “This is vindication for the work we’ve been doing in supporting our local residents.”
The new makeup of the council is: Labour (48), Liberal Democrat (three), Conservative (three).
Voter turnout was 24.4%, slightly down from 24.52% last year.
FINAL RESULTS BELOW:
●●Appleton
Angela Teeling (Lab) 865 Duncan Harper (Cons) 157
●●Bankfield
Laura Bevan (Lab) 938 Keith McCann (Ind) 87 David Dorian (Cons) 56
●●Beechwood and Heath Gareth Stockton (Lib Dem) 997 Craig Butcher (Lab) 625
Daniel Clarke (Cons) 365 Rhona Bentley (Ind) 93
●●Birchfield
Mike Fry (Lab) 885 John Powell (Cons) 665 Andrew Teebay (Lib Dem) 118 Matthew Healey (Green) 106
●●Bridgewater
Emma Garner (Lab) 1024
Dylan Eaton (Cons) 202 Suzanne Howard (Lib Dem) 147
●●Central & West Bank Noel Hutchinson (Lab) 633 Colleen Harper (Cons) 106
●●Daresbury, Moore & Sandymoor
Sian Davidson (Cons) 399 Anna Hutchinson (Lab) 398 Richard Kinchin (Green) 372
●●Ditton, Hale Village & Halebank
Marie Wright (Lab) 946 Philip Harper (Cons) 234
●●Farnworth
Valerie Hill (Lab) 1033 Ann Dawson (Cons) 561
●●Grange
Mark Dennett (Lab) 790 Jonathan Howard (Lib Dem) 220
●●Halton Castle
Christopher Carlin (Lab) 713 Iain Ferguson (Green) 197 Darrin Whyte (Ind) 134
Peter Heatley (Cons) 87
●●Halton Lea
Alan Lowe (Lab) 851
Sandra Davidson (Cons) 130 Ashlee Brown (Green) 86 Laura Hodge (Lib Dem) 56
●●Halton View
Elizabeth Nolan (Lab) 1,000 Julie Powell (Cons) 248
●●Highfield
Robert Gilligan (Lab) 965 James Powell (Cons) 178 Steven Dowdeswell (Ind) 145
●●Hough Green
Philip Harris (Lab) 887 Lyn Nguzo (Cons) 212 Tracy Miller (Green) 124
●●Mersey & Weston
Norman Plumpton-Walsh (Lab) 803
Linda Redhead (Lib Dem) 352 Daniel Baker (Cons) 164
Gillian Rowe (Ind) 96
●●Norton North
Geoffrey Logan (Lab) 806 Gary Cargill (Green) 326 Diane Inch (Lib Dem) 276 Graham Porter (Ind) 123 Peter Davidson (Cons) 187
●●Norton South & Preston Brook Martha Lloyd Jones (Lab) 811 Adam Burnett (Cons) 174
Craig Wyna (Ind) 79
Miriam Hodge (Lib Dem) 79