1995 – 4th May – Kenilworth Town Council – Election

Abbey Ward (6 seats)

Candidate	Party	Votes
*Jack Bastock	Liberal Democrats	1838
Haydn Thomas	Liberal Democrats	1483
Enys Thomas	Liberal Democrats	1299
Patrick Ryan	Liberal Democrats	1281
Helen Pavier	Liberal Democrats	1278
Jill Gillman	Liberal Democrats	1188
*Michael Coker	Conservative Party	1155
Daphne Harrison	Conservative Party	966
Terry Quainton	Conservative Party	956
James Finnie	Conservative Party	940
*John Hatfield	Conservative Party	929
Geoffrey Cleave	Labour Party	763
Rosemary Ellis	Labour Party	762
Chris Edgerton	Labour Party	753
Sarah Clarke	Labour Party	715
Chris Payne	Labour Party	634
John Wiles	Labour Party	481

St John’s Ward (6 seats)

Candidate	Party	Votes
*Pauline Edwards	Conservative Party	1741
*Bob Wooller	Conservative Party	1700
*Graham Windybank	Conservative Party	1678
*Peggy Cox	Conservative Party	1664
*Felicity Bunker	Conservative Party	1499
Paul Spillman	Conservative Party	1447
Dave Hatton	Labour Party	1241
Dave Peggs	Labour Party	1210
Jacky Grayson	Labour Party	1191
Jill Murdoch	Labour Party	1189
Helen Ruffles	Labour Party	1121
Robin Winn	Labour Party	976
Richard Dickson	Liberal Democrats	839
Graham Thomas	Liberal Democrats	823
Barbara Ward	Liberal Democrats	795
Aidan Foss	Liberal Democrats	753

Park Hill Ward (4 seats)

Candidate	Party	Votes
Dave Shilton	Liberal Democrats	702
Judy Rawson	Liberal Democrats	633
Mary Harrison	Liberal Democrats	620
Doug Golby	Liberal Democrats	603
*Tony Dalton	Conservative Party	579
*Spencer Harrison	Conservative Party	557
*Peter Durrant	Conservative Party	532
*Joanna Illingworth	Conservative Party	514
Muriel Johnston	Labour Party	499
Harry Scarborough	Labour Party	482
Lesley Bowen	Labour Party	474
Tony Bowen	Labour Party	461

*denotes retiring councillor

TOWN POWER PASSES TO LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

The Liberal Democrats were celebrating after seizing control of the council. The Tories had gone into the election with a 11-5 majority but this was turned around completley. One of the newly elected councillors, Doug Golby, is the former editor of the Kenilworth Weekly News – he is now the news himself! He said; “There has been a lot of dismay and disgust on the doorstep and national issues have had a lot to do with this. It has been a case of Middle England betrayed”.

In Abbey ward the Lib-Dems took all six seats, with Jack Bastock easily topping the poll. Tory stalwart Michael Coker, who had been on the council since 1983, lost his seat by 33 votes. The Lib-Dems also had a clean-sweep in Park Hill where present tory councillors, Dalton, Harrison, Durrant and Joanna Illingworth were all un-seated. They were replaced by Golby, Shilton, Rawson and Harrison.

New to the council is Dave Shilton, who said “We have a good team in Park Hill and look forward to working hard to look after people in the ward. We are very grateful to the voters for giving us the chance to represent them”.

But in St. John’s the colour was all blue, with the five retiring Tories being re-elected, and were joined by new member Paul Spillman. He replaced Richard Dickinson, who did not seek re-election as he is moving to Sussex. He had been elected to the council at the November 1993 by-election.

Long standing Tory councillor Spencer Harrision lost his town seat but retained his place at the district council, but said he was very disappointed. “But it was a democratic result and we can’t complain about that”. Mr Harrison had been the last remaining councillor to have served on the old KUDC, which existed until 1974.

Kenilworth Town Councillors

10 Liberal Democrats (D. Shilton, J. Rawson, M. Harrison, D. Golby, J. Bastock, H. Thomas, E. Thomas, P. Ryan, H. Pavier, J. Gillman)

6 Conservatives (P. Edwards, B. Wooller, G. Windybank, P. Cox, F. Bunker, P. Spillman)

Mayors

Town Clerk – Susan Howell