Labour are the main election losers

LABOUR were the main losers as the controlling Lib Dem Tory alliance made further gains on Warrington Borough Council.
But it was mixed fortunes for the Lib Dems who missed out on taking overall control of the council by just one seat – ironically losing out to the Conservatives at Hatton, Stretton and Walton, where veteran councillor Peter Walker lost out to Tory Paul Kennedy – a popular member of the warrington-worldwide discussion forum!
The Lib Dems made two gains from Labour in Bewsey and Whitecross and Whittle Hall, while the Tories made gains at Hatton, Stretton and Walton and Penketh.
Polling had been “steady but not spectacular” as voters turned out to polling stations across the borough.
Party workers were keeping a close watch on the situation in view of the mix-up which resulted in many people not receiving polling cards. In some wards the turn out was less than 30 per cent.
Former Mayor George Warburton lost his seat at Penketh and Cuerdley to Conservative Paul Campbell. Fellow former Mayor Linda Dirir, who just saw off a challenge from Campbell last year blamed the “missing polling cards” for the defeat.
She said more than 1,000 polling cards had gone missing in the ward.
An investigation is being launched by town hall chiefs.
It was a painful election success for another former Mayor, Pauline Nelson, who had to receive hospital treatment earlier in the day after having her finger savaged by a dog as she put an election leaflet through a letterbox.
She declined to comment on the incident due to a police investigation but turned up at the count with her finger heavily bandaged. She is believed to have lost part of her finger!
The results were announced at Woolston Leisure Centre by returning officer and Chief executive of the council Diana Terris.
Exclusive video interviews with Lib Dem Leader Ian Marks, Conservative Paul Kennedy and Labour leader Terry O’Neill will also be broadcast later today (Friday), providing an analysis of the results.
A total of 65 candidates sought election to the council, with the Liberal Democrats and Labour fielding a candidate in every ward and the Conservatives every ward but one. There were six Green Party candidates, two BNP and one Independent.
Pictures show winners and losers – (top) Lib Dem Leader Ian Marks (centre) celebrates with Jo Crotty who took Bewsey and Whitecross off Labour and Kevin Reynolds who took Whittle Hall off Labour, while above Lib Dem’s Peter Walker and Bob Barr, show their concern as Tory Paul Kennedy tops the poll in Hatton, Stretton and Walton. A brave faced George Warburton, who lost his seat at Penketh watches on.

The full list of results is as follows:

Appleton
Brian Axcell (Lib-Dem) 2163 (Lib Dem Hold)
Gloria Jefferson (Lab)142
Sue Kennedy (Cons)1175
Shelley Walsh (Green) 85

Bewsey and Whitecross
Jo Crotty (Lib-Dem) 945 (Lib Dem gain from Lab)
Maili Flynn (Cons) 194
Hitesh Patel (Lab) 834
Mike Phillips (BNP) 172

Birchwood
Valerie Allen (Con) 1009
Leanne-Marie Dysart (Lib-Dem) 283
Pauline Nelson (Lab) 1156 (Lab hold)
David Ward (Green) 200

Burtonwood and Winwick
Bob Murdock (Lib-Dem) 457
Terry O’Neill (Lab) 809 (Lab hold)
Stephen Pathmarajah (Con) 332

Culcheth and Glazebury
Keith Bland (Cons) 1719 (Con hold)
Russell Bowdon (Lab) 711
Marril Cummerson (Lib-Dem) 551

Fairfield and Howley
Kevin Bennett (Lab/Co-op) 937 (Lab gain from Ind)
Peter Edwards (Lib-Dem) 328
Matthew Harris (Con) 404
Lyndsay McAteer (Green) 102
John Wilson (BNP) 262

Grappenhall and Thelwall
Sonia Boggan (Cons) 870
Helen Dutton (Lab) 257
Elaine Welborn (Lib-Dem) 2141 (Lib Dem hold)

Great Sankey South
Michelle Hayes (Lab) 809
Liz Smith (Lib-Dem) 1026 (Lib Dem hold)
Jonathan Woodruff (Cons) 595

Hatton, Stretton and Walton
Maureen Banner (Lab) 58
Paul Kennedy (Cons) 503 (Con gain from Lib Dem)
Peter Walker (Lib-Dem) 444

Lymm
Stella Fletcher (Lab) 223
Tim Harwood (Lib-Dem) 1351
Sheila Woodyatt (Cons) 2219 (Con hold)

Orford
Michael Foxall (Ind) 271
Philip Chadwick (Lib-Dem) 368
Mike Hannon (Lab) 992 (Lab hold)
David Whitehouse (Green) 176

Penketh and Cuerdley
Kevin Ashbrook (Lib-Dem) 359
Paul Campbell (Cons) 1141 (Con gain from Lab)
Stephanie Davies (Green) 132
George Warburton (Lab) 955

Poplars and Hulme
Joan Hall (Lib-Dem) 301
Brian Lambert (Cons) 370
Brian Maher (Lab) 1020 (Lab hold)

Poulton North
Francine Leslie (Cons) 340
Alan Simcock (Lab) 476
Sharon Wilson (Lib Dem) 1219 (Lib Dem hold)

Poulton South
David Eccles (Lib Dem) 774
Colin Froggatt (Lab) 923 (Lab hold)
John Leslie (Cons) 345

Rixton and Woolston
Edgar Davies (Lib-Dem) 315
Tony McCarthy (Lab) 1011 (Lab hold)
Roger Rankin (Cons) 938

Stockton Heath
Shelley Bennett (Lab) 211
Sue Dodd (Lib-Dem) 997 (Lib Dem hold)
Stephen Taylor (Cons) 709
Kenneth Wilson (Green) 117

Westbrook
David Earl (Lib-Dem) 816 (Lib Dem hold)
Paul Gosney (Lab) 335
Lilian Houghton (Cons) 376

Whittle Hall
Kevin Reynolds (Lib-Dem) 1254 (Lib Dem gain from Lab)
Carl Roberts (Cons) 575
Tony Williams (Lab) 422