1995 – 4th May – Kenilworth Town Council Elections

Abbey (6 seats)

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

St John’s (6 seats)

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

Park Hill (4 seats)

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

*denotes retiring councillor

TOWN POWER PASSES TO LIBERAL DEMOCRATS

The Lib-Dems were celebrating after seizing control of the council. The Tories had gone into the election with a 11-5 majority but this was turned on its head. 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 he was very disappointed; “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 Lib-Dems (Shilton, Rawson, Harrison, Golby, Bastock, H. Thomas, E. Thomas, Ryan, Pavier, Gillman)

6 Conservatives (Edwards, Wooller, Windybank, Cox, Bunker, Spillman)

Mayors

Town Clerk – Susan Howell