IT WAS much ado about nothing at this year’s Basingstoke and Deane local elections.
With 20 of the borough council’s seats up for grabs, there were only two which changed hands – Whitchurch and Winklebury.
The Conservative-led borough council maintained overall control of the council with 33 seats with Labour the only party to make a real terms gain adding one more seat, giving them 21.
The Liberal Democrats were the only losers in terms of seats after losing Whitchurch to new Conservative representative Cllr Dave George.
With turnouts across the wards ranging from the mid-20 per cents to the mid-30 per cents leader of the borough council, Cllr Clive Sanders – who retained his East Woodhay seat with 595 votes – said the turnout was due to people getting fed up with politics.
He said: “With so many elections in a short space of time and all the Brexit talks and politics always being in the press, I think people are just bored with it.
“We have seen not much change tonight and I think that is down to people in the borough knowing what works for them and sticking with it.”
Cllr Sanders added that some of the momentum in certain wards was “slightly better” than expected though “the promise of a Labour resurgence never came.”
However, in the Labour camp, group leader Cllr Paul Harvey said they had a “great night” by gaining Winklebury – Cllr Ruth Cooper winning by 28 votes – and making significant holds in Buckskin, Brighton Hill North and Brighton Hill South.
Cllr Harvey said: “We are showing that we are a strong party in Basingstoke which works together to get the best for our residents.
“We will continue to put pressure on the Conservatives and make sure that the way this borough is run is representative of the people who live here.”
The borough council’s only independent, Ian Tilbury, ward councillor for Overton, Laverstoke and Steventon, enjoyed one of the largest turnouts with 45.19 per cent, receiving 941 votes to retain his seat.
Cllr Tilbury said: “It’s good to have a voice of common sense from an independent on the council, particularly at this time.”
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