Summary
The Conservatives have gained a Cotswold council seat as the Greens have been wiped out with the election of Tom Bradley to represent Blockley. The Cotswold District Council election was triggered after the resignation of Green Party councillor Clare Turner who had to stand down to take up a politically restricted job.
Details
Cllr Bradley, who is also a councillor at Shire Hall and leads the Tory group at Gloucestershire County Council , received 431 votes ahead of the Liberal Democrat candidate Daniel Loveridge who polled 230. Reform UK’s Mathew Fincham got the backing of 59 voters, while the Green candidate Bob Eastoe and Labour’s Joshua Littler-Jennings each polled 54 and 14 respectively.
Cllr Bradley said it was a huge honour to have been elected to serve the residents of Blockley and Ebrington. “I look forward to building on my strong track record as their county councillor to now also champion our area at CDC,” he said.
Related stories
“Yesterday’s result shows that support for the Conservatives is growing as we take the fight to Labour nationally and hold the failing Lib Dem administrations to account locally.” This result means the political composition of Cotswold District Council is now 22 Lib Dems, 11 Conservatives and one Independent councillor.
Lib Dem Councillor Paul Hodgkinson (Chedworth and Churn Valley) said the loss of the Green Party’s only foothold on the council “shows the political landscape here is changing fast”. Jane Portman, chief executive and returning officer of Cotswold District Council, thanked the candidates and the residents who took the time to vote.
“We look forward to working with Cllr Bradley to represent the needs of residents, businesses and communities across the Blockley ward and the wider Cotswold district,” she said. The by-election turnout was 37.4 per cent.
Report source: Gloucestershire Live
