Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Counting goes on but Tories look to have edge
LEISURE centres across the West were yesterday commandeered for vote counting - but there was little danger of anyone getting sweaty as things proceeded at a decidedly sedate pace.
Coronavirus restrictions mean there are fewer people counting than at normal elections and the complexities of separating votes for multiple elections means some votes in the region will not be counted until Monday.
With the Conservative Party winning a stunning parliamentary by-election victory in Hartlepool supporters of Boris Johnson were hopeful of a similar performance in the West.
As the Western Daily Press went to print last night, the only clear result that had emerged was at Swindon Borough Council, with the Conservatives increasing their majority at the authority.
Of the 21 seats up for grabs yesterday the Conservatives won 17 of them.
Three Labour strongholds in the town - so called ‘red wall’ seats - all fell to the Conservatives: Rodbourne Cheney, Penhill and Upper Stratton and even Central Ward going blue.
One of the early seats declared in Gloucestershire followed a similar pattern, with the longtime Labour seat of Matson and Coney Hill falling to the Tories.
The Tories were also well-poised to gain a Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in Avon and Somerset.
Their candidate Mark Shelford had gained 136,988 first choice votes, putting him more than 40,000 clear of Labour’s Kerry Barker.
However as Mr Shelford hadn’t gained 50 per cent of the 400,000 votes cast the poll went to a second round.
The poll was carried out using the supplementary vote system - meaning the second choice vote of those candidates who came outside the top two would be added to Mr Shelford and Mr Barker’s total.
That count was continuing when we went to print.
However, the first round of votes may give some interesting clues to the mayoral votes in Bristol and the West of England that will be counted today.
Green candidate Cleo Lake polled strongly in Bristol, gaining 37,141 votes compared to Mr Barker’s 45,973.
If Green mayoral candidate Sandy Hore-Ruthven can match that performance he may run incumbent Marvin Rees closer than anticipated, with Mr Rees a 1-8 favourite with the bookmakers.
And the race for West of England mayor promises to be particularly close.
If voters in that area - Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire - follow a similar pattern to how they voted in the PCC election then Labour’s Dan Norris could gain a narrow victory, with only 400 votes between the two main parties.
The Tories got 72,876 first choice votes and Labour 73,285 for PCC in the WECA area.
Counting was also under way in Gloucestershire yesterday for the county council elections.
Early declarations appeared to favour the Conservatives with the party likely to retain its control of the council.
Other counts are due to take place across the region today, tomorrow and Monday.
■ See Monday and Tuesday’s Western Daily Press for full results