Author: Nick

Abbey (3 seats)

Registered Voters 6535

Ballot Paper Issued 2749 (25 spoilt papers)

Votes cast 7929 (42.1% Turnout)

Park Hill (2 seats)

Registered Voters 3850

Ballot Paper Issued 1520 (3 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 2943 (39.5% Turnout)

St. John’s (3 seats)

Registered Voters 7530

Ballot Paper Issued 2979 (22 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 8650 (39.6% Turnout)

LIB DEMS MARCH ON – BUT ALL SQUARE IN KENILWORTH

In Kenilworth it finished all square between the Tories and Lib-Dems, locked on four seats a piece, just as four years ago.

Michael Coker returned after four years away on gardening leave (apparently), regained his seat in Abbey ward. Lib-Dem stalwart, Jack Bastock who topped the ward in 1995, did not seek re-election but was elected to the town council. Another Lib-Dem, Pat Ryan was un-seated, coming only sixth, but did get a strong vote of 1012.

The Tories lost veteran Spencer Harrison in Park Hill along with Graham Windybank, who’s switch from St. John’s to Park Hill, didn’t do him any favours. Both seats being taken by Lib-Dem pair, Dave Shilton and Doug Golby. But the Conservatives did take some comfort in taking all three seats in St. John’s.

But in the district it was a different tale all together. The Conservatives lost three seats, Labour lost one, Lib-Dems gained two and the Independents also gained two . In Leamington the Tories have no seats at all.

The 45 seat council now consists of: Labour 16, Liberal Democrats 13, Conservatives 10, Whitnash Residents Association 3, Independents 3. No overall control.

Kenilworth District Councillors

4 Liberal Democrats (D. Shilton, D. Golby, H. Pavier, H. Thomas)

4 Conservative Party (M. Coker, A. Cockburn, P. Edwards, B. Wooller)

St. John’s

Registered Voters 7448

Ballot Papers Issued 1758 (10 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 1808 (23.6% Turnout)

WINDYBANK IS BACK – IN POOR TURNOUT

The by-election was caused by the resignation of Tory veteran, Bob Wooller, who was moving to Devon. He was elected to the district council in 1983 and had been a member ever since. He had also been a county councillor for the past twelve years.

Graham Windybank returns to the district council after two years away, having lost his seat in the 1999 election. He first stood in a district election in 1979 at Castle Ward but was unsuccessful, but won a by-election at Abbey & Borrowell in 1982, as a Liberal.

He said he was glad to be back, I campaigned very hard and the effort paid off. It was never going to be easy as I had good opponents. The turnout of voters was poor but I thought it might be even worse given the dark nights and cold weather. One of my tasks at the district council will be to fight for a better share of resources for Kenilworth, which has been lacking in recent years.

Teacher, Pat Ryan, who has been away from the district council for two years, trailed in last place, but St. John’s has always been a difficult ward for the Liberal Democrats. He first stood at the 1991 district election in Abbey Ward, but lost by only 40 votes to Michael Coker for third place. Four years later, however, he was finally elected, this time beating Cllr Coker by more than 100 votes for the third seat.

Labour candidate, 43 year-old, Jan Ford, has lived in the town for 14 years and is a part-time lecturer at De Montfort University in Leicester. But there is one thing in Kenilworth that has always annoyed her is the ‘groovy ball’ at Abbey End. She wants to find out why thousands of pounds were spend on it. This was her second district council election having been unsuccessful in the 1999 poll.

Abbey (3 seats)

Registered Voters 5890

Ballot Papers Issued 2451 (8 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 7209 (41.6% Turnout)

Park Hill (3 seats)

Registered Voters 6176

Ballot Papers Issued 2344 (5 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 6607 (38% Turnout)

St. John’s (3 seats)

Registered Voters 5877

Ballot Papers Issued 2623 (25 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 7320 (44.8% Turnout)

TORY GLORY – WITH RE-DRAWN BOUNDARIES

The district council increased the number of seats from 45 to 46, and Kenilworth was allocated this seat. It went to Park Hill, which had been a two-seat ward for 30 years. This meant each ward now had three seats. So to accomodate the addition seat and to make them as equal as possible, the boundaries of each ward had to be re-drawn. 2,500 electors were transfered from St. John’s to Park Hill, which affected the areas of Windy Arbour, Leyes Lane, Whitemoor Road and Glasshouse Lane. Abbey ward, received 977 electors from St. John’s ward in John O’Gaunt Road and Willoughby Ave. Plus 540 from Crackley Lane and Cromwell Lane in Burton Green.

The Tories seemed to be the party to benefit from these changes and seven of their candidates were elected. In St John’s, Pauline Edwards and Alan Cockburn retained their seats, with the addition of Graham Windybank, who was back on the council after eight years away. New Tory faces in Park Hill are Felicity Bunker and Richard Davies. Michael Coker was re-elected in Abbey, plus John Hatfield, who had narrowly missed out at the 1999 election.

Two Lib-Dem councillors, Haydn Thomas and Helen Pavier did not seek re-election and were replaced in Abbey ward by Ann Blacklock and Kevin Holt. Cllr Blacklock was delighted to get elected in her first ever district election, finishing in second place with 1151 votes. But she was very disappointed to see that Doug Golby lose his seat in Park Hill. She said that the boundary changes were probably the reason for his downfall. But it didn’t affect Dave Shilton who retained his seat easily, topping the poll with 1160 votes.

In the district overall, the results were; 16 Tories, 14 Labour, 10 Lib-Dems, 3 Whitnash Residents Association, 3 Independents. No overall control.

Kenilworth District Councillors

7 Conservatives (G. Windybank, A. Cockburn, P. Edwards, F. Bunker, R. Davies, J. Hatfield, M. Coker)

2 Liberal Democrats (A. Blacklock, D. Shilton)

St. John’s

Registered Voters 5862

Ballot Papers Issued 1837 (9 spoilt Papers)

Votes Cast 1822 (31.3%)

CONSERVATIVES RETAIN SEAT

This by-election was called due to the death of Graham Windybank, who was first elected to St. John’s at a by-election in 1990 but lost his seat at the 1999 election. However, he regained his seat in another by-election in 2001, and three years ago, was re-elected in the full district election.

Following his victory, Mr. Vincent paid tribute to his predecessor, saying “If I can do half as good as Graham did then, I will be very pleased”. This is his first time on the district council.

He spent 26 years working for the Ministry of Defence and then became a director of an engineering consultancy. He is now semi-retired and runs a small company and has lived in the town for 27 years.

Kenilworth District Councillors

7 Conservatives (N. Vincent, A. Cockburn, P. Edwards, F. Bunker, R. Davies, J. Hatfirld, M. Coker)

2 Liberal Democrats (A. Blacklock, D. Shilton)

Abbey (3 seats)

Registered Voters 5902

Ballot Papers Issued 3010 (0 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 8585 (51% Turnout)

NO CHANGE

Park Hill (3 seats)

Registered Voters 6375

Ballot Papers Issued 2890 (11 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 8081 (45.3% Turnout)

CONSERVATIVES GAIN FROM LIB-DEMS

St. John’s (3 seats)

Registered Voters 5850

Ballot Papers Issued 2851 (15 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 8084 (48.7% Turnout)

NO CHANGE

TORIES GAIN ONE SEAT FROM LIB-DEMS – DUE TO SWITCH

Following problems with the newly introduced electronic counting system, the counting had to be done the old way – manually. This delayed the results by several days. The count began on election night – 3rd May – but didn’t end until Tuesday 7th May.

In the end, the Conservatives gained one seat in Kenilworth due to long-standing Liberal Democrat, Dave Shilton switching to the Tories. He retained his seat in Park Hill, topped the poll with 1681 votes, the largest in all three wards.

The Resuffle

Alan Cockburn and Pauline Edwards, who held seats in St. John’s did not seek re-election. So the Conservatives had a small ‘reshuffle’ of candidates around the wards. John Hatfield moved from Abbey to St. John’s and Richard Davies from Park Hill also to St. John’s. This helped two new recruits get elected, Andrew Mobbs and George Illingworth.

In the district overall, the Tories gained 7 seats and now have 24 councillors, Labour and Lib-Dems have 9 each plus 4 Independents. This gives them a two seat majority in the 46-seat council. The first time in 12 years they have control.

Kenilworth District Councillors

8 Conservative Party (D. Shilton, N. Vincent, R. Davies, J. Hatfield, F. Bunker, A. Mobbs, G. Illingworth, M. Coker)

1 Liberal Democrats (A. Blacklock)

Abbey (3 seats)

Registered Voters 5840

Ballot Papers Issued 3397 (32 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 9429 (58.2%)

NO CHANGE

Park Hill (3 seats)

Registered Voters 6397

Ballot Papers Issued 3164 (54 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 9432 (49.4%)

NO CHANGE

St. John’s (3 seats)

Registered Voters 5808

Ballot Papers Issued 3161 (37 spoilt papers)

Votes Cast 8900 (54.4%)

NO CHANGE

NO CHANGE IN KENILWORTH

The Conservatives are still in control at Kenilworth, just like at the 2007 election. The only change being a new face in the their ranks, John Dagg, who was elected in St. John’s ward. He replaced John Hatfield who had been a district councillor for the last eight years.

Ann Blacklock, who was first elected to the district council in 2003, remains the lonesome Liberal Democrat in Kenilworth.

Although the Green Party did not get anyone elected, they put forward nine candidates, three in each ward. Pippa Austin, who got 442 votes in St. John’s, first stood in a district election way back in 1991, getting 100 votes in Park Hill.

In the district, the Conservatives have 25 seats, giving them a four seat majority. The Liberal Democrats have 9 seats, Labour 8, Whitnash Residents Association 3 and Independents 1.

Kenilworth District Councillors

8 Conservatives (D. Shilton, M. Coker, N. Vincent, R. Davies, J. Dagg, F. Bunker, A. Mobbs, G. Illingworth)

1 Liberal Democrat (Ann Blacklock)