Conservatives in the Gainsborough Constituency have welcomed a surge in support which has seen incumbent councillors returned with increased majorities and new faces joining the Conservative Group on Lincolnshire County Council from our area.
In a tremendous set of results for the local party, in the West Lindsey district, which covers the majority of the constituency, Conservatives secured a record 53.55% the highest poll for the Conservative Party in local elections in our area since 1977 (when the party scored 59.54%).
Conservatives were particularly pleased to see Clio Perraton-Williams (49.7%) win the Scotter Rural division from Liberal Democrat Lesley Rollings (30.7%). Cllr. Mrs. Perraton-Williams said:
"After witnessing such a landslide victory for Conservative candidates in yesterday's elections, I am proud to have played my part and look forward to working with my 57 colleagues to deliver the strong and stable leadership our county needs."
In the Gainsborough Rural South Division, where incumbent councillor Stuart Kinch was retiring, Richard Butroid (54.9%) secured victory for the party. With new boundaries brought in for the contest it was very pleasing to see incumbent councillors (based on a national result) re-elected:
- Cllr. Ian Fleetwood, Bardney & Cherry Willingham (53.2%)
- Cllr. Lewis Strange, Market Rasen Wolds (49.9%)
- Cllr. Mrs. Jackie Brockway, Nettleham & Saxilby (67.9%)
- Cllr. Tony Turner MBE, North Wolds (75.3%)
- Cllr. Mrs.Sue Rawlins, Welton Rural (62.4%)
Even in Gainsborough, where the party has always struggled to secure the election of Conservatives to the town's County Council seats, Sheila Bibb (18%) improved the party's poll rating and moved us from fourth place to third. Meanwhile, Ashley Perraton-Williams (26.7%) improved the party's poll rating by over ten percentage points and moved us from fourth place to second.
Across the district Conservative won convincingly with 53.55% (up 15.5 percentage points) of the vote retaining poll position from the previous election in 2013, with the Liberal Democrats in second on 16.14% (up less than a percentage point) from third place last time. Labour came third with 13.9% (up 1.6 percentage points) moving up one spot whilst the UK Independence Party fell from second to fourth with 4.96% (collapsing by 21.7 percentage points) dropping from second to fourth. Independents shared 7.23% of the vote whilst the Lincolnshire Independents party secured a mere 3.12% (down half a percentage point) and remaining in sixth place. The Green party entered the political fray, locally for the first time since 2003, securing a share of only 1.09% of the vote across the district. Across the district turnout was 36.1%
In the Woodhall Spa and Wragby division, which falls partially within the Gainsborough constituency and partially within the Louth & Horncastle constituency, Cllr. Mrs. Patricia Bradwell, (81.6%) was fighting the seat vacated by retiring councillor Denis Hoyes, on new boundaries, in a two way contest against a Labour candidate. The Turnout was 36.8%.
