The Evening Echo has said it was a shock result that Labour councillor Maureen Vince lost her seat on the District Council last night. Considering the awful publicity that Labour have had in the last week, the shock was that Maureen only lost by 95 votes – James Cottis got 877 for the Tories and Maureen got 782. Happily, Maureen was re-elected to Rochford Parish Council.
At 24 years of age, James Cottis is reportedly the youngest councillor that Rochford District Council has ever had (the previous youngest probably a young chap called Parkinson who won for the Conservatives in Hullbridge in 1984). He was accompanied at the count by his friend James Bourne, formerly the singer and songwriter for the group Busted.
We hope that James Cottis enjoys his time as a councillor – whether he serves for four years or forty. Recognising the responsibility he has taken on, he said himself that “Mrs Vince has big shoes for me to fill”.