9/5/2008

Local News in Aldershot

Few surprises as Tories hold council

Just over a quarter of Aldershot’s eligible voters decided to have their democratic say at last week’s Rushmoor Borough Council elections.

The 28.3% of the electorate that turned out chose to retain three Conservatives and keep one Labour councillor.

One Labour councillor lost his seat to a Liberal Democrat, giving the party an Aldershot representative for the first time since George Paparesti’s defection to the Tories in July 2006.

Lib Dem Paul Bowers stormed to victory with 564 votes in Heron Wood, defeating 19-year-old Tory Simon Poole (380) and Labour’s Terry Bridgeman (404), who beat the same candidates in a by-election in the ward ten months ago.

Wellington saw the closest contest, where Tory Neil Watkin retained office with a 50-vote victory over Labour’s Alex Crawford.

However, only 19.8% of the town centre ward’s electorate bothered to put a cross next to a candidate’s name.

Labour stalwart Sue Dibble thrashed her North Town rivals despite her party’s drubbing nationally, winning by a 439-vote margin over Tory Sabaah Salim Choudhary.

Cllr Paparesti won Manor Park by 468 ballots over Lib Dem Laura Kilburn while Mayor of Rushmoor David Welch’s 928-vote haul — the biggest of any Aldershot candidate — easily gave him the Rowhill seat.

Rushmoor’s outgoing Lib Dem leader Craig Card said Cllr Bowers’ victory was an indication of a switch towards his party because of the current national cloud over Labour.

He said the government’s plan to axe the 10p tax band had swayed many residents.

The electorate, who live in one of Rushmoor’s poorest wards, decided to switch to the Lib Dems, as they would feel the financial pinch most, Cllr Card added.

“It’s great that Paul won and by such a convincing margin,” he said.

“I hope it’s a sign that we will be able to take further Aldershot seats in the future.”

Cllr Keith Dibble, leader of the Rushmoor Labour group, agreed that national issues were a factor in Mr Bridgeman’s defeat.

“Within Heron Wood there is a sizeable amount of people who would have been affected by the withdrawal of the 10p tax band,” he said. “It just takes 80 people to switch allegiances to turn victory into defeat.

“I’m very sorry and disappointed for Terry, as he’s done very well for the few months that he’s be on the council. Across Rushmoor where our vote is not traditionally strong we did not do very well and it would be foolish to pretend we did.

“National issues do impact on local politics and we just have to accept that.”

Council leader Peter Moyle agreed: “Heron Wood has always been traditionally Labour ground and it’s clear that the dissatisfaction with the 10p tax policy has led to their downfall there.”

Cllr Dibble was delighted with his ward colleague and wife’s victory in North Town. Her vote increased 98 from her 787-ballot haul four years ago.

“I am really pleased and slightly surprised that her vote went up significantly,” he added. “We do work hard and are very much community-based and the whole campaign was based on local issues.”

He said Mr Crawford’s attempt to win power was encouraging for the future. His vote has steadily chipped away at the Tory victor’s majority over recent elections.

This year, Mr Crawford got 411 votes, Cllr Watkin achieved 461 and Lib Dem Peter Woodcock won 107.

“I’m really pleased with Alex’s magnificent haul in Wellington,” Cllr Dibble added. “He ran a very personal campaign, as he lives right in the heart of the ward and has an excellent grasp of what residents think.”

Cllr Moyle added: “I am very pleased with the result and I think it is a reward from residents for all the hard work we put in,” he said.  “We have new councillors whose career experience will really add to the way this council operates.”

The Conservatives now control 29 council seats, Lib Dems have eight and Labour hold five.

See pages 2 to 6 of this week's Aldershot News for analysis of each ward.

First printed in: Aldershot News and Mail