Council loses leader in election shake-up

Mr Packham lost his Lydiards seat to Tory Mollie Groom.

Following a neck-and-neck battle, the Liberal Democrats finally took 26 seats and the Conservatives 25.

The shock result leaves newly-elected Independent councillor Philip Allnatt and sole Labour councillor Christine Reid, holding the delicate balance of power.

Weeks of intensive negotiations are now expected as the Liberal Democrats attempt to form an alliance with councillors Allnatt and Reid, in a bid to push through their policies.

But Councillor Allnatt said he would not be seeking to do deals.

Victorious in Chippenham's Monkton Park ward, Chippenham College lecturer, Allnatt, left the Liberal Democrat party to stand as an Independent candidate at this election.

The Liberal Democrats did not field a candidate to stand against him, but the Conservatives and Green Party both put forward candidates.

Speaking after the count, he said: "I am delighted and especially about the better than predicted voting turnout, which is good not just for me, but for democracy.

"But while the overall result is very interesting, it is important that neither Mrs Reid or I are seen to be the tail wagging the dog at the council.

"I would like to see the two parties come to some arrangement in which we can work together to improve services for everyone.

"I do not think it is right for one councillor to be seen to be holding the rest of the council to ransom."

It was a bittersweet victory for sole Labour councillor, Christine Reid, who won one of two hotly-contested seats in Corsham's Pickwick ward, while three of her fellow Labour members lost theirs.

Former Chippenham mayor and long-standing Labour councillor, Maureen Lloyd, failed to win re-election in Chippenham's Redland ward.

Labour's Steve Wheeler also lost his Corsham seat and Caroline Webber lost her seat in Calne.

The election results now mean that more than half of the 53 councillors on the council are new.

Before the election, the Lib Dems had held 25 seats, five more than the Conservatives.

And while many believed the Conservatives would narrow the gap, or even take control of the council this time around, the final outcome of which way the council would fall hinged on the five seats up for grabs in Wootton Bassett.

In Wootton Bassett North, Liberal Democrats Kerrie Dixon and Stephen Walls took both seats and in Wootton Bassett South, Liberal Democrat Olivia Thomas took one seat and Conservative councillors Christopher Wannell and Peter Roberts the other two seats.

Those results, which came after two recounts, were the last votes in at 3am.

A bitter blow to the Conservatives, the close result now leaves them in opposition for a further four years.

Due to ward changes the council will be served by 53 councillors, one more than previously.

The district council results in Corsham saw little change except for the loss of Labour candidate Steve Wheeler, who has been a councillor for eight years.

In Malmesbury Liberal Democrats Patrick Goldstone and Ann Davis took both seats in the town ward. Malmesbury Conservative candidate Pat Sears and Liberal Democrat, Lesley Bennett, both lost their seats. Coun Sears had represented the town as a district councillor for 20 years.

Conservatives John Thomson and Ian Henderson took the two seats at St Pauls Malmesbury Without and Sherston.

The greatest shock in Calne's district election was the defeat of longstanding Conservative councillor Mercy Baggs who lost her Priestley seat to Liberal Democrat Martin West.

In Lickhill, Labour district councillor Caroline Webber was defeated by Conservative John Ireland.

Liberal Democrat Simon Coy won a seat in Marden ward, but failed in the town council election.

The Liberal Democrats won four of Calne's district council seats and the Conservatives the remaining two.

dwaite@newswilts.co.uk

Smear campaign lost votes, says BNP

THE Liberal Democrats swept to victory in Calne winning control of the town council with 11 seats.

The Conservatives won six seats.

But controversy dogged the election. The British National Party has launched legal proceedings into the conduct of Green Party candidate Derek Quinn in Abberd Ward where BNP candidate Robert Baggs was standing. The BNP has accused him of using scare tactics to deter voters from voting for the party.

The Lib Dems won all three seats in the ward, but Conservatives backed by the BNP have accused them of continuing to canvass electors outside polling stations.

Those elected: Anthony Trotman, Con, 424; Richard Stigwood, Con, 336; Paul Atkinson, Lib Dem, 341; Carol O' Gorman, Lib Dem, 330; Catherine Bowyer, Lib Dem, 327; Michael Harris, Lib Dem, 319; Lesley Hammond, Lib Dem, 299; Peter Dolman, Lib Dem, 219; John Ireland, Con, 208; Mark Tong, Lib Dem, 210; Colin Viner, Lib Dem, 205; Ellenor Bland, Con, 199; Thomas Briggs, Lib Dem, 129; Leon Jones, Lib Dem, 107; Mercy Baggs, Con, not contested; Roy Golding, Con, not contested; Martin West, Lib Dem, not contested.

Not elected: Geoffrey Philpot, Lib Dem, 301; Shauna Bodman, Con, 271; Helen Plenty, Con, 290; Andrew Bowyer, Lib Dem, 268; Jane Lewis, Con, 218; Margaret Russell, Con, 174; Simon Coy, Lib Dem, 153; Alan Hill, Ind, 153; Jacqueline Jones, Lib Dem, 149; Derek Quinn, Green, 146; Robert Baggs, BNP, 118; Stephen Foxcroft, Lab, 115; Celia Stevens, Lab, 107; Nancy Bryant, Con, 99; Gillian Dilley, Con, 93; Stephen Smedley, Ind, 77; Eileen Morgan, Lab, 75.

Green win in town line-up

TWO new members were elected to Corsham Town Council from two different wards.

The greatest surprise of the night was the election of Green candidate Andrew Korsak in the Neston ward.

He beat the former councillor Charles Fuller by just three votes.

There were 11 seats uncontested but town clerk David Martin said: "We don't want too many changes as it disrupts things. I think the council works very well as it is because it is non political," he said.

Elected: Marion Wakeman, Lib Dem, 550; Mervyn Jackson, Lib Dem, 539; Gillian Offord, Lib Dem, 476; Jock Fraser, Ind, 356; Christopher Lynch, Lab, 345; Allan Bosley, Ind, 342; Pamela Witts, Lab, 331; Jeanne Doohan, Ind, 328; Martin Lang, solicitor, 303; Andrew Korsak, Green, 164.

Not elected: Brian Healy, Lab, 311; Charles Fuller, 161.

Boundary change to blame for defeat

NORTH Wiltshire District Council leader David Packham blamed his shock defeat on boundary changes.

Mr Packham, a Liberal Democrat, who has been leader of the council for the last four years, lost his Lydiard seat to Conservative Mollie Groom.

He said: "It certainly was a bit of a smack in the face to get voted out, and I am sad that I will not be able to represent the Lydiards any more.

"Being council leader was just a job, but I have loved representing the Lydiards and I feel glad that I was able to help so many people.

"I still got a good show of support from Lydiards people, which makes me happy that they liked the job I was doing there, but I think a lot of people voted along party political lines and there is really nothing I could do to fight that.

"The boundary changes expanded our area into a place where I think people would have voted for anyone with a Conservative label, regardless of what they had done.

"As to whether I will stand again, I'm really not sure, I was sitting having breakfast with my wife and I realised that we have got our lives back now, as being a councillor and leader of the council is a full-time job.

"So I may get used to having some time to myself.

"I think it's a bit early to be making decisions like that.

"At the end of the day I am devastated not to be representing the Lydiards any more, but I am satisfied that I did a good job and managed to help a lot of people.

"Party politics I will leave to someone else."

Lib Dems hold town but fail in new seat

IT was swings and roundabouts with some surprises in the Chippenham Town Council elections.

The Liberal Democrats managed to maintain their stronghold, but lost Monkton Park. They also failed to gain an extra seat on offer in Pewsham.

In the hotly-contested Pewsham ward, Liberal Democrat, Sylvia Doubell, led the pack of five, with 614 votes.

But the extra seat, created after boundary changes, went to Conservative Howard Greenman, Pewsham's sub-postmaster for the last 12 years, with 568 votes.

There was a surprise with a twist in the Monkton Park ward where former Liberal Democrat, the now Independent councillor, Philip Allnatt, took the seat from his old party.

Elected: Rachel Anscombe, Lib Dem, 732; Sylvia Doubell, Lib Dem, 634; Richard Purdon, Con, 600; Andrew Noblet, Lib Dem, 591; Philip Allnatt, Ind, 575; Nina Phillips, Con, 496; Desna Allen, Lib Dem, 460; June Wood, Lib Dem, 428; Judith Rooke, Lib Dem, 426; Sandra Oakes, Lib Dem, 404; Bill Wood, Lib Dem, 381; Maureen Lloyd, Lab, 381; Claire Fawcitt, Lib Dem, 369; Marian Stickland, Lib Dem, 358; Scott Williams, 350; David Powell, Lib Dem, 340; Wendy Underwood, Lib Dem, 314; Sheila Veitch, Green, 309.

Not elected: John Doubell, Lib Dem, 583; Mary Norton, Con, 280; Eileen Fry, Con, 259; Richard Meek, Lib Dem, 259; Cedric Norton, Con, 248; Maggie Savin, Lib Dem, 218; Dennis Baker, Lab, 212; Andy Phillips, Con, 205; Adrian Fry, Con, 204; Victor House, Con, 186; Rodney Fernandes, Lab, 154; Peter Haughey, Con, 177; Maurice Wood, Lab, 85; David Pool, Lab, 76.

Veteran of 25 years is back

THE newly elected Wootton Bassett Town council blends experience and fresh ideas with a mix of long-serving councillors and some new faces.

Veteran councillor Daphne Mathews, 70, retained the seat she has held for more than 25 years. New councillors include mother-of-two Kerrie Dixon, 37, and her husband, Cliff, 43.

Elected: North Ward: Amanda Dixon 543; Kerrie Dixon 574; William Tom Lloyd 541; William Roberts 513; Marian Sweet 518; Steven Walls 543; Andy Wannell 522; Leslie Willis 511: South Ward; John Allen 758; Susan Cooksley 751; Clifford Dixon 790; Daphne Mathews 775; Percy Miles 749; Peter Roberts 787; Olivia Thomas 796; Christopher Wannell 912.

Not Elected; David Evans 524; Martin Hale 396; Alan Mole 380; Sylvia Roberts 444; Brigit Tubb 412; Heather Wannell 465; Kirsty Lambert 677; Georgina Massa 668; Steven White 686.