The last full week of campaigning in the 2012 local elections saw four by-elections reported to ALDC.
In the sole principal council contest, our Focus team in North Norfolk did sterling work defending the Waterside ward. A 9% drop in the second-placed Tory vote was of some assistance, although surprisingly UKIP do not appear to have been the beneficiary of the decline in Conservative support. A relatively busy slate for a local by-election also included a Green Party and Independent candidate standing for the first times, without making any real headway. Labour’s 2% increase in vote-share is far from impressive and may also indicate a healthy retention of squeezed Labour voters in the Lib Dem tally. Our congratulations to successful candidate Paul Howard Williams and the North Norfolk team on an encouraging defence.
Out in the towns, our vote held up nicely in Seaford East ward of Seaford Town Council. Whilst the headline story is a UKIP gain from the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrat vote remained solid and keeps us within touching distance of the Tories in second place. The election was triggered by the resignation of a Conservative Town Councillor in protest against his own administration’s 9.5% hike in the town council precept – only one year after an express promise not to raise the tax. Our box count showed that Lib Dem support in our best areas stayed solid and, when combined with the new reality of a fairly even Con-UKIP split in the vote, enhances our prospects of holding our local county seat in 2013.
Liberal Democrat Dave Dobbie prevailed in a straight-up fight with UKIP to hold the North West ward of Gainsborough Town Council, and Sue Griffiths came within a whisker of supplanting Labour as the second party in the Peacehaven North ward of Peacehaven Town Council. Well done to both.
ALDC would like to wish all of our councillors and campaigners across the country the very best of luck in all elections. See you on the other side!
Craig Whittall
craig.whittall@aldc.org