The Conservatives have won all four local seats in the Somerset County Council elections across the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge area.
The results were announced early today (Friday) and saw Peter Burridge-Clayton retain the Burnham-On-Sea North seat and John Woodman hold the Highbridge and Burnham South seat.
Bob Filmer won the Brent Knoll seat for the Tories while Mark Healey retained the Huntspill seat for the Conservatives.
One of the biggest upsets of the night was in Wells where former Liberal Democrat MP Tessa Munt won the County Council seat from Conservative John Osman by 95 votes.
Mr Osman was the council leader. Tessa will now sit on Somerset County Council – and she is also separately standing to become the constituency’s MP at General Election on June 8th.
Tessa told BBC Radio Four that she believes her party is “in full-on bounce back”.
The Tories took six seats more than at the last election in 2013 despite the high-profile defeat for council leader John Osman.
The results across Somerset mean that the Conservative Group has an overall majority of 15 seats.
The full make-up of the council is now: Conservative 35, Liberal Democrats 12, Green Party 2, Independent 3, Labour 3, Liberal Party 0, UK Independence Party 0.
LOCAL COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION RESULTS:
The local results in the Burnham-On-Sea area are as follows:
BURNHAM ON SEA NORTH
BURRIDGE-CLAYTON, Peter The Conservative Party Candidate: 1,485
HOBBS, Brian Royston UK Independence Party (UKIP): 278
MURPHY, Mike Liberal Democrats: 1,183
PRICE, Colin Michael Labour Party Candidate: 178
Percentage turnout 38.72%
HIGHBRIDGE AND BURNHAM SOUTH
CORKE, Lorna Irene Bromley UK Independence Party (UKIP): 197
PARKES, John David Liberal Democrats: 767
SCANLON, Lucy Labour Party Candidate: 213
WOODMAN, John Charles The Conservative Party Candidate: 1,065
Percentage turnout 29.79%
BRENT
FILMER, Bob The Conservative Party Candidate: 1,917
GORE, Tony Liberal Democrats: 537
MARSDEN, Janty Labour Party Candidate: 216
WILLIS, David Robert UK Independence Party (UKIP): 159
Percentage turnout 36.4%
HUNTSPILL
CHADWICK, Chelsea Joan Labour Party Candidate: 337
HARVEY, Phil Liberal Democrats: 513
HEALEY, Mark The Conservative Party Candidate: 1,810
Percentage turnout 35.74%
There was a poor turnout in the election across the four seats in the Burnham-On-Sea area, with an average turnout of just 35.16% despite good weather on Thursday.
Following the election, the successful candidates will officially take up their office on 8th May.
The Full County Council Annual General meeting on 24th May will appoint the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Council, the Leader of the Council and the membership of the various Council committees.
As the current council leader has not been re-elected, the current deputy leader, Councillor David Hall, will assume the responsibilities of the leader until Full Council on 24th May.
Immediately after the Full Council Meeting it is expected that the new Leader of the Council will confirm appointments to Cabinet roles.
Villagers in Mark near Burnham-On-Sea also went to the polls for their Parish Council election on Thursday. The result was: HICKS, Angela Margaret – 149; HORN, Jan – 169 NOURSE, Peter – 95. Full results across Somerset are here.
Pictured: The election count taking place in Bridgwater early today
