Abbey Ward
| Michael Francis Coker | Conservative Party | 847 |
| Graham John Thomas | Liberal Democrats | 492 |
| Margi Levy | Labour Party | 371 |
COKER’S BACK – FOLLOWING A LEAFLET ROW
After 18 months in the political wilderness, jubilant Tory, Michael Coker was back on the council benches. A poll of 847 votes gave him a comfortable victory by 335 over Lib-Dem candidate, Graham Thomas.
The by-election was called due to the death of Enys Thomas (mother of candidate, Graham Thomas and wife of Cllr Haydn Thomas) who died at Warwick Hospital in May following a short illness. She had been taken ill during a council meeting on 25th April. She had been on the town council since 1991.
Graham Thomas said; “I am not too downhearted, I did my best and was an improvement on last time. It was a shame the turnout was low but at least between us, Margi Levy and I managed to poll more votes than the winner”.
Mrs Levy, of Lunn Ave, who is the secretary of the Kenilworth & Stoneleign Labour Party was also not too despondent about the result. She was pleased with all the support she had received and thanked all the people who voted for her. She was critical of the council’s decision not to issue polling cards to electors, many believed they couldn’t vote without one. She also denounced the campaigns run by both the Conservatives and the Lib-Dems, saying they were very negative. They seemed to just focus on missed opportunities in the past.
Before the election, a squabble broke-out over the ‘Tory in Touch’ leaflets that had been distributed around the ward. The disagreement was about who was telling the truth to the voters. Lib-Dem group leader, Haydn Thomas said it was full of distortion and half-truths. If this is what is being sent out for a town council election, what will it be like for a general election?Mr. Coker reacted by saying that he stood by the leaflet. There is a checklist of Liberal Democrat promises, and what we are saying is that they have not carried out any of them. People will be the judge of that.
Seven polling stations were used for this election: Priors Field School, Clinton School, Parochial Hall, Baptist Church, Methodist Church, the Library and one at Burton Green.
Kenilworth Town Councillors
9 Liberal Democrats (D. Shilton, J. Rawson, M. Harrison, D. Golby, J. Bastock, H. Thomas, P. Ryan, H. Pavier, J. Gillman)
7 Conservatives (M. Coker, P. Edwards, B. Wooller, G. Windybank, P. Cox, F. Bunker, P. Spillman)