The Conservatives have thanked local voters after they retained overall control of Burnham and Highbridge Town Council and Sedgemoor District Council in Thursday’s local elections.
On Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, the Lib Dems now hold 7 seats (up from 5) while the Conservatives hold ten seats (down from 11) and the independents have 1 seat.
The full election results for Burnham and Highbridge saw Cllr Bill Hancock, Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge’s Mayor, comfortably retain his seat with the most votes in the Highbridge ward.
There were several very close results. In the Highbridge ward, Liberal Democrat town councillor Victoria Weavell lost her seat by just one vote to fellow Lib Dem Dawn Carey.
And Lib Dem town councillor Kate Lawson lost her seat in the Burnham Central ward by only six votes to Cllr Nick Tolley (Conservative).
The Conservative leader on Burnham and Highbridge Town Council, Cllr Peter Clayton, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We had a great team of candidates and I feel so sorry for those that didn’t make it this time. Under normal circumstances our results would have been considerably better, however we have kept control of Sedgemoor District Council and also Burnham and Highbridge Town Council so overall I am pleased.”
Liberal Democrats Burnham and Highbridge Town Council leader, Cllr Phil Harvey, added: “The Liberal Democrats are celebrating their results in the Burnham and Highbridge area.”
“We are pleased with the progress we have made in the area, winning one seat in each of the three Highbridge and Burnham Sedgemoor wards – even if we did miss a second seat in Highbridge by only one vote. It shows that the Liberal Democrats are re-establishing themselves as a force in local Government.”
“In addition it was great to make two gains on the Town Council in Burnham North ward – long regarded as a Conservative bastion – taking the group up to 7 from 5. I was sorry to lose my existing colleagues – Victoria Weavell (losing again by one vote) and Kate Lawson – but am excited by my new colleagues who will be joining me and trying to move the two towns forward.”
The Conservatives held on to Sedgemoor District Council despite losing seven seats across the district. They remain the largest party in the district with 28 seats, while Labour gained two, bringing their total to 12 and the Liberal Democrats now have seven seats after gaining six, leaving one independent.
