Here’s an updated report on the County Council Election results last night :
Rayleigh (North)
Stephen Charles Castle The Conservative Party Candidate 2095
Chris Black Liberal Democrats 1739
John Hayter English Democrats 718
Tony Smith Say No To European Union 416
Lisa Byrne British National Party 278
David Dennis Bodimeade The Labour Party Candidate 226
Turnout 41.8%
Rayleigh (South)
Mavis Joan Webster The Conservative Party Candidate 2165
Paula Hayter English Democrats 847
Lindsay Caroline Frend Liberal Democrats 777
Donna-Marie Loughran British National Party 347
Alan Bennett The Labour Party Candidate 289
Turnout 35.5%
Rochford (North)
Tracey Margaret Chapman The Conservative Party Candidate 2490
John Joseph Curtin British National Party 705
Debbie Taylor Liberal Democrats 679
Andrew John Vaughan Green Party Candidate 618
David Thomas Kirkman The Labour Party Candidate 328
Turnout 37.4%
Rochford (South)
Roy Pearson The Conservative Party Candidate 1996
Earl Victor Strobridge British National Party 547
Douglas John Copping The Green Party 517
David James Michael Lench The Labour Party Candidate 491
Lester Wakeling Liberal Democrats 354
Turnout 32.3%
Rochford (West)
Bonnie Hart The Conservative Party Candidate 2972
Sid Cumberland Liberal Democrats 900
Angelina Donna Marriott The Labour Party Candidate 489
Sandra Lynn Matthews British National Party 874
Turnout 38.2%
Some analysis
We are really grateful for all the support and help we had in the election. But with 20 more helpers we would have won Rayleigh North last night. So it would be great if we could recruit 20 more helpers before the end of the year. And by ‘helpers’ we mean someone who can give us 2 or 3 hours assistance most months. That’s all it takes.
I raise a glass (or packet of wine gums) to both Chris and Lindsay for an outstanding result, well done to you both.
Well done Chris! I’m not sure what the C majority was last time but you’ve surely decimated it? Look out Castle.
PS I did not like the tone of Castle’s last leaflet for various reasons…He was trying to suggest that Chris does not live in Rayleigh North? I’m not sure of the exact boundary but that was surely clutching at straws? Mmm? Whatever other lies did he tell to gain a few measley votes?
A couple of seconds for the BNP thats about the same as Lib Dem’s isn’t it?
Fantastic effort guys. We are all proud of you. The Conservatives will need a reality check now!
[img]http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c96/dhdefender/RayleighNorth2009Votingfigures.jpg[/img]
TWR – sorry for not replying to your questions last night but I was a wee bit tired – but I’ve had 15 hours sleep now 🙂
Yes, we slashed their majority from 11 perecent to 6 percent. It’s one of the most marginal seats in Essex now.
Yes, the last Tory leaflet was full of straw clutching. To quote three examples:
1 – The comment that I don’t even live “in the patch myself”. I do live slightly outside Rayleigh North but we always put my address on our leaflets and I don’t think people care whether you are in Rayleigh North or South. And of course the Conservatives tried to hide the fact that Stephen Castle lives on Canvey.
2 – The almost frantic bit of the leaflet claiming that housing at the Park School site was a ‘Lib Dem Legacy”, when it was voted for by 6 Lib Dems, 12 Conservatives and 7 Labour. If you look at the minutes at http://cmis.rochford.gov.uk/CMISWebPublic/Binary.ashx?Document=7281
you’ll see that I actually voted against the proposal. But before that I moved an amendment that would have:
– reduced the amount of housing by 1 acre
– halved the size of the ‘mixed commercial area’ that is now Asda
– given an extra acre to the school
– left an extra 2 acres as open space.
Unfortunately I lost both votes – But I think if that amendment had gone through there would have been a better outcome.
This is history now but it’s important for the council to recognise that development in Rawreth Lane was the main issue in the campaign. If a decision made about 140 houses is still a hot political issue eight years later, 850 houses is going to be downright poisonous for anyone who votes for it.
3- The line about “Stopping Labour and Lib Dem plans for thousands of extra houses in Rayleigh”. There are certainly no Lib Dem plans like that that I know about!
The Conservatives were desperate to hang on.
Geoff – our second places were with 1739 and 900 votes, the BNPs were with 705 and 547. That’s a bit of a difference.
Chris – as a teacher, I must point out that this sentence doesn’t really pass muster: “But it was pretty obvious this was going to happen compared cecasue of the dire national” – yes, not even a full stop at the end.
oops. Corrected now, Sid.
Well done Chris!
Chris, well done it’s not a criticism, I’m sure you all did your best. I thought the Tories showed their true colours last night. When will the electorate learn?
Congratulations to Chris and Lindsey. Chris had the Conservatories VERY worried. Mark Francois was at the count shaking his head stating that “this is not good” during the Downhall count…. Next Time