Lib Dems make gains in North Hampshire, but Tories still the biggest party in Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

The Liberal Democrats made gains in North Hampshire at yesterday’s local council elections when they took two of the three available seats from the Conservatives.

One seat on Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council from each of three wards in the North Hampshire area (Evingar, Tadley & Pamber and Tadley North, Kingsclere & Baughurst) was up for re-election.

One Tory maintained their seat, but the other two blue seats turned yellow, reflecting the national trend of the Conservatives making losses and the Lib Dems making gains.

John Izett, the current deputy leader of Basingstoke and Deane, held onto his seat in Evingar with a vast majority.

The Tory councillor accrued 1,516 votes, with the Lib Dem candidate Pauleen Malone being his closest rival with 647 votes.

He said: “Personally, I’m elated. It was a cracking result and I’m very grateful to all the people of Evingar who stood by me, despite the problems that are connected with the Conservative party nationally at the current time.

“I’m very fortunate to have such a great part of the borough to represent.”

He was “disappointed” to see his fellow North Hampshire Tory councillors Kerri Carruthers and Stuart Frost lose their seats.

He said: “They work very hard, and time will tell if the Liberal Democrats can make the improvements that they claim.”

Referring to Conservative losses in the borough, he said: “I think a lot of this is down to a level of disappointment and disenchantment with what’s been going on in Westminster.

“The important thing locally is that the Conservatives remain the largest party and we should continue to run the administration.”

Lib Dem candidate Androulla Johnstone was elected in the Tadley & Pamber ward, gaining 1,217 votes, narrowly beating the incumbent Mrs Carruthers by one hundred votes.

Ms Johnstone said: “I’m very pleased that the residents of Tadley & Pamber voted for change.

“We will continue to work with them diligently to bring about the changes that they talked about on the doorstep.”

Key things she hopes to achieve as councillor include the conservation of the semi-rural area of the ward, tackling local NHS issues such as the availability of pharmacies, and improving community connectivity.

Ms Johnstone said she was also “extremely” excited about the gains the Lib Dems had made nationally.

She said: “For now, the fact that local lives can be changed for the better is a very good, solid advance, and we hope that holds out for the election next year as well.”

Fellow Lib Dem Mike Bound was elected in the Tadley North, Kingsclere & Baughurst ward, returning to his role as a borough councillor after two years away.

He received 1,410 votes, beating the incumbent Mr Frost who had 1,124.

Mr Bound said he was “pleasantly happy” to be elected, and he admitted he wasn’t sure how the election would turn out for him.

Referring to why he believed voters put their faith in him, he said: “I think they saw the Liberal Democrats as the party that could perhaps look after their interests’ best.”

The new overall composition of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council is as follows: the Conservatives have lost the majority but remain the largest party with 23 seats, having lost six; Labour maintain 10 seats; the Lib Dems now have nine seats, having gained two; Basingstoke & Deane Independents maintain 8 seats, and there are also three Independent councillors and one Green councillor.