Andover Town Council poll: 61.2% yes - 38.8% No (From Basingstoke Gazette)

Andover Town Council poll: 61.2% yes - 38.8% No

3:46pm Thursday 2nd July 2009

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ANDOVER citizens have given a thumbs up to plans for town council to be established in the only area of Test Valley without its own parish level council.

The results of the official poll, the biggest ever test of local opinion on this matter, showed that 2,721 people (61.2 per cent) are in favour of a town council with 1,723 people (38.8 per cent) opposed. There were 54 rejected ballot papers.

The turnout across the town was 15.68 per cent and there was a yes vote across all five wards of the town – the highest turnout was in Winton where 18.51 per cent of the public voted while in Alamein only 10.65 per cent of people took part.

At the last meeting of Andover Councillors’ Forum some campaigners had expressed the opinion that the questions asked had been put in a manner likely to confuse some members of the electorate which would reduce turnout.

Test Valley Borough Council leader, Ian Carr, who represents Charlton, said the turnout was disappointing.

“Clearly this raises bigger questions that we shall have to consider carefully about the extent of support for change amongst the town’s electorate,” he said. Sarah Evans of the town council campaign, said: "This is a marvellous result which shows that Andover is clearly in favour of the establishment of a town council and we look forward to seeing it established."

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