IT WAS a bad day for the two Independent candidates fighting to retain their borough council seats at the local election with both of them losing out to the Conservative Party.

Former borough Mayor, Martin Biermann, lost out to Conservative candidate Joyce Bowyer in his Chineham ward by just 78 votes following the count at the Hampshire Court Hotel in the day's biggest upset.

She won 2,409 votes compared to 2,331 votes for Biermann. UKIP candidate Stephen Poulter came third with 581 votes.

Fellow councillors, including Councillor Elaine Still and Cllr Jane Frankum, came over to talk to the former mayor following the result, and many people paid tribute to the amazing work he had done for the Chineham area.

Martin told The Gazette: “I have been overwhelmed by the number of people who said they thought I couldn’t lose. I can’t say anything other than I am pretty disappointed.

“It was going to be my last shot. Whether I will give it another go, at the moment I couldn’t say. I am very sorry I can’t use my knowledge to help the interests of Chineham bearing in mind the big issue happening there with further major development.”

Newcomer Joyce Bowyer, who has also been a councillor in West Sussex, paid tribute to Martin Biermann, adding: “I am delighted (with the result) and I put a lot of effort in. He (Martin Biermann) is a bit of legend so I feel really good.”

She added: “I think we have got a very big area in Chineham and Taylors Farm (Sherfield Park) which is actually where I live so I hope to bring the two areas together.”

Another big character to lose his seat on the borough council last Friday was Stephen West who had recently resigned from UKIP to stand as an Independent candidate in his Tadley Central ward.

He lost out to Tory candidate Jonathan Richards who won 628 votes, followed by Liberal Democrats candidate Josephine Slimin who got 386 votes. Stephen West came in third place with 361 votes.

Labour Party candidate Peter McCann came in fourth place with 93 votes.

Stephen West was absent from the election count on Friday morning after he fell in a pothole in Andover on Thursday evening but in a statement he said: “For the past 12 years, it has been my pleasure to represent Tadley Central on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, fighting overdevelopment and campaigning for better amenities and a safer Tadley.

“I would like to thank everyone in Tadley who voted for me yesterday and I am sorry that I won’t be able to deliver on the promises that I made.

“I would like to congratulate Jonathan Richards on his victory and to wish him all the very best as he begins his time at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.”

Jonathan told The Gazette: “I am absolutely delighted. I feel very honoured that the people have chosen me. It is a very strange feeling, but nice, that they have voted for me.”