Tory leader pledges to fight for residents
WOKINGHAM Conservative leader Pauline Jorgensen said she was ‘quite heartened’ by the results, despite the party losing seats to both the Lib Dems and Labour.
In this year’s local elections, the Lib Dems became the largest party with 26 seats while the Conservatives lost four seats – Barkham and Wokingham Without to the Lib Dems, Norreys and Shinfield North to Labour. They now have 22 seats in the chamber.
They won Coronation, Loddon, Sonning and South Lake.
However, the came close to winning in Hillside and Shinfield South, and gave the Lib Dems a scare in Maiden Erlegh.
And it was this that gave Cllr Jorgensen heart.
“We started coming back in some of the seats in Earley, where we came very close,” she said. “We had some very good candidates and we’re going to continue working in the area, standing up for residents.
“Residents are very unhappy with changes to the bin collections, they’re unhappy with the state of the roads.
“We’re going to continue standing up for them and making sure the Liberals actually listen to them.”
Cllr Jorgensen said of the results that didn’t go her party’s way: “That’s democracy. That’s how the British electoral system works. There’s a winner and a loser. You have to respect the way people vote.”
The Conservative representation in Wokingham borough is now the lowest it has ever been, more than halved from where it was in 2016.
What’s next for the party? Is there a way back?
“I’m determined to fight for residents,” Cllr Jorgensen said. “I’m sad to see some of my old friends go, but that’s politics.
“We’ve got some really good new candidates. Out on the doors, they really excited people.
“We’re going to continue to work hard for residents and ensure Conservative voices are heard.”
Re-elected councillor for South Lake, Laura Blumenthal, says she feels “absolutely ecstatic that the people of South Lake put their faith in me for a third term.
“I’m really surprised.”
The modest councillor expected a different outcome, and said: “I told the chief executive of the council I’ve brought my pass to give back to her today.”
Instead she will serve the Woodley ward for another fouryear term.
“I’m so pleased the electorate have supported me and I’m really looking forward to working hard in South Lake and hold the Liberal Democrat administration to task.”