The results of the Borough elections were announced today (over a long period of time), confirming who has been elected to represent the Wilmslow wards and Handforth at Cheshire East Council.
The results were:
Wilmslow Dean Ward
• Toni Fox, Residents of Wilmslow - 1189 votes
• Paul Whiteley, Conservative Party - 1139 votes
Turnout 68.62%. Rejected votes 24.
Therefore Toni Fox has been elected as the Cheshire East Councillor for Wilmslow Dean.
Speaking after her win was announced, Toni Fox told me "I am amazed. It has been worth all the hard work.
"I am looking forward to trying to make a difference to the local plan and trying to get some of the S106 money in Wilmslow. It would also be brilliant if we could bring Grove Street back."
Wilmslow East Ward
• Jessica Binks, Green Party - 149 votes
• David Jefferay, Residents of Wilmslow - 1001 votes
• Rod Menlove, Conservative Party - 1093
Turnout 74.47%. Rejected votes 18.
Therefore Rod Menlove has been elected as the Cheshire East Councillor for Wilmslow East.
I caught up with Rod Menlove after the results were announced. He told me "I'm incredibly grateful to residents for their support. I'm very pleased to be back so I can act not their behalf as I have done for the last 8 years - irrespective of party.
"I will hit the ground running and I have a number of projects for residents on planning and parking matters that I will progress on their behalf."
Wilmslow Lacey Green Ward
• Dominic Brown, Labour Party - 843 votes
• Don Stockton, Conservative Party - 1345 votes
Turnout 63.04%. Rejected votes 48.
Therefore Don Stockton has been elected as the Cheshire East Councillor for Lacey Green.
Speaking after the count, Don Stockton told me "I'm absolutely delighted that residents of Lacey Green have trusted me to look after them again. I feel i have achieved a lot for the area and wish to continue to do so. Thank you to everyone who voted for me."
Wilmslow West & Chorley Ward
• Richard Barraclough, Green Party - 990 votes
• Gary Barton, Conservative Party - 3182 votes
• Ellie Brooks, Conservative Party - 2995
• David Cash, Independent - 930 votes
• James McCaig, Labour Party - 922
• Howard Ridley, Labour Party - 660
Turnout 70.8%
Therefore Gary Barton and Ellie Brooks has been elected as the Cheshire East Councillors for Wilmslow West & Chorley.
Speaking later that evening, Gary Barton said ""I am very honoured to have been re-elected for the Wilmslow West and Chorley ward. Representing my home town means a lot to me. The opportunity to do so again is a real privilege and I want to express my gratitude to those who supported Ellie and me. Ellie has been a fantastic Town Councillor and I know she will be a brilliant Cheshire East Councillor.
"I am also very pleased that the Conservatives have again won a strong majority in Cheshire East. We didn't get everything thing right over the last four years, but speaking to hundreds of residents on the door step it was clear that many people felt that we were doing a good job. The onus is now on Ellie and me to continue the hard work to deliver results on issues such as parking and road safety."
Ellie Brooks commented "I'm absolutely thrilled and delighted to have been elected with Gary to represent Wilmslow West and Chorley on Cheshire East Council and look forward to working with the residents to keep on improving the area and getting the very best for Wilmslow. Many many thanks to all how voted for me!"
Handforth
• Phil Barton, Conservative Party - 1369 votes
• Barry Burkhill, Handforth 'Ratepayers' Association (Independent) 2027 votes
• Alan Davies, Labour Party - 812 votes
• Gillian Davies, Labour Party - 807 votes
• Anthony Harrison, Conservative Party - 1391 votes
• Dennis Mahon, Handforth 'Ratepayers' Association (Independent) - 1596 votes
Turnout 63.91%. Rejected votes 40.
Therefore Barry Burkhill and Dennis Mahon has been elected as the Cheshire East Councillor for Wilmslow Dean.
Councillor Barry Burkhill said "May I thank once again the residents of Handforth Ward for their continuing support for Dennis and I and for the principle of electing Independent Councillors who will speak and vote on behalf of residents and not a political party.
"We have been lone voices in our Northern Area for many years but are now more than pleased to welcome the Dean Row ward Councillor and the Alderley Edge ward Councillor as elected Independent Councillors.
"Our most immediate task is to defend our Greenbelt and prevent the resulting traffic chaos and gridlock which will be caused by Conservative Group plans for its development. The North Cheshire Greenbelt is as much Wilmslow's/Alderley's/Poynton's Greenbelt as it is ours and is both a protection against urban sprawl and a defence against the resurrection of the annexation of our Northern Towns and Villages into Greater Manchester. Residents of these areas will never forgive the Conservative Group if they continue with the policy of developing our Greenbelt in the Local Plan submission, which will inevitably lead to a repeat of the 1973 battle to keep our Northern areas within Cheshire. Perhaps the ruling Conservative Group do not care if we merge into Greater Manchester so long as they can "cash in" on the development first.
"We have picked up a number of other issues from residents on the doorstep which we will deal with but if we missed you and you have some burning problem which we can take up for you then please let us know."
Photos: Toni Fox, Rod Menlove, Don Stockton, Gary Barton and Ellie Brooks (Unfortunately I didn't manage to catch to all candidates before they left).
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Congratulations also to all the other winning candidates.
On a point of detail the Independents in Middlewich and Nantwich are re-elected sitting councillors rather than new.
Interestingly the two Independents in Macclesfield Tytherington both lost their seats to the Conservatives.
I believe that this is the first time all 82 CEC wards have been contested at the same time.
On a point of detail the Middlewich and Nantwich councillors are NOT all re-elected sitting councillors. One of then, Bernice Walmsley, who is also the current chair The Cheshire Independent network, is a new CEC councillor. http://bit.ly/1EXkcXn
And interestingly the two siting Conservative Counsellor for Wilmslow Dean Row (Paul Whiteley) and Alder Edge (Frank Keegan) both lost their seats to the Independents.
It is the third time that all seats have been contested (all-out) and there are 82 seats and the Conservatives hold 53.
You have made an assertion that is questionable. You and three other Conservative Candidates stood unopposed in 2010. As such I don't see how you can these seats were "contested".