ELECTION RESULTS: Labour dominate, Tory leader ousted (From Warrington Guardian)

Warrington Borough Council election results

11:26am Friday 4th May 2012 in News

THE results are in for the local elections in Warrington - and it has been a horrible day for the Lib Dems and the Conservatives.

Counting started in Birchwood across 19 wards at 9am and with all the results in, Labour have taken five seats from the Liberal Democrats and two from the Conservatives.

Labour now has 41 seats, the Conservatives four and the Liberal Democrats 12 at the new look Town Hall.

In a massive shock, Conservative leader at the Town Hall Keith Bland lost to Labour's Chris Vobe - by nearly 800 votes.

Defeat is kick in the teeth - Keith Bland

The first results saw Clr Mike Hannon, Labour deputy leader, comfortably win Orford and Clr Paul Kennedy hold Hatton, Stretton and Walton for the Conservatives.

Early success for Labour and Conservatives

Labour also held its seats in Fairfield and Howley - won by Kevin Bennett - while Jeff Richards also kept his seat. Colin Froggatt also kept his seat in Poulton South and Brian Maher has held Poplars and Hulme.

Labour leader Clr Terry O'Neill has held Burtonwood and Westbrook.

He said: "We really have worked hard for the town.

"We are here to help everyone in the town.

"It's not going to be easy because there's a raft of welfare reforms coming in which will affect residents.

"The one stand out result is Stockton Heath.

"That's our only borough councillor south of the Manchester Ship Canal. We are making inroads to the conservative heartland.

"We were looking for four gains but we have worked very hard in all our wards."

And in the first dramatic result of the day, David Earl lost Westbrook for the Lib Dems to the Labour candidate. The party has now lost Whittle Hall and Great Sankey South as well

Will Hughes in winning Whittle Hall for Labour becomes the youngest councillor on Warrington Borough Council- unseating senior Lib Dem Kevin Reynolds.

Former executive member Roy Smith's bid to win back a seat for the Lib Dems in Great Sankey South also failed - beaten by Labour's Tony Williams.

Labour's spokesman for Warrington South Nick Bent said: "Labour's share of the vote has again increased significantly across Warrington South and for people here the General Election cannot come soon enough."

The Conservatives have also suffered a major blow - losing Paul Campbell in Penketh to Labour parish councillor Alin Dirir.

The former General Election candidate lost by 700 votes.

And leader Keith Bland lost Culcheth to Labour's Chris Vobe - son of MP Helen Jones.

Labour also took seats in Stockton Heath and Poulton North from the Lib Dems with Laurence Murphy and Billy Lines-Rowlands.

Leader Ian Marks said: "We are in the mid-term and the Government is having to do some difficult things and people don't like it.

"I thought we would have got a little more luck.

"The lost councillors work very hard but it's on national evidence."

Lib Dems blame national picture There was good news for the Lib Dems in Grappenhall and Thelwall though where Ted Finnegan was elected.

Lib Dems also held its seat in Appleton with Brian Axcell, while the Conservatives held their seat in Lymm with Sheila Woodyatt and Labour held on to seats in Rixton and Woolston and Birchwood with Tony McCarthy and Pauline Nelson.

Meanwhile turnout across the borough has been low. Just two wards topped 30 per cent in Culcheth and Appleton with Poulton South just 17.27 per cent.

For the full results click here