Tendring District Council left in 'no overall control' after elections

TENDRING Council has been left in no overall control following Thursday's local elections.

The Conservative-led administration is likely to lose control of the council to a rainbow coalition of parties and independents.

All 48 seats on the authority were up for grabs – and any party or group would need 25 seats to take control of the council.

Following the election there are 19 Conservatives, 16 independents, 8 Labour, 4 Liberal Democrats and one by Tendring First.

Tendring Independents group leader Mark Stephenson has been tipped by some as Tendring Council's next leader if he can win the support of Labour, Lib Dems and other independents to be named as council leader at the next full council meeting on May 23.

Tendring Independents group leader Mark Stephenson (Image: Newsquest)

"I think there will be a change of administration," he said.

"The national picture has definitely affected the Conservative vote.

"People who have been lifelong Conservative voters have told me they have voted independent for the first time at this election - and they blame the national party."

Council leader Neil Stock, who represented Ardleigh and Little Bromley, stood down at the election after almost 20 years as a councillor to focus on his business.

Despite losing seats, Conservative deputy group leader Carlo Guglielmi said he still hopes the Tories could play a role in the administration.

He said that while the Tory-run administration has brought in millions of pounds of Government funding to the district for regeneration schemes, the national media has focused on national issues that could hit the Conservative vote locally.

He said: "It has been disappointing to see the loss of some very good longstanding Conservative councillors, but this is democracy.

"We have got to work with the councillors who have been returned and I very much hope we will be able to work with others for the good of the district."

Conservative deputy group leader Carlo Guglielmi (Image: Newsquest)

Labour group leader and Harwich mayor Ivan Henderson said he was pleased to see Labour gains - especially in Clacton.

"Labour has been working hard across the district," he said.

"A lot of people have told us that Labour candidates are the only ones they've seen on the doorstep this election, while others have shied away.

"Clacton Labour now has a fantastic team and has put a lot of work in.

"Labour is on its way back in Clacton."

Mr Henderson added: “The message from the public is clear that they want change.

“They want to see a new leadership of the council and I’m hoping that the opposition groups can work together and come up with some fresh ideas for the future of Tendring that is in the interests of residents.”

Labour group leader Ivan Henderson (Image: Newsquest)

The current Conservative-led administration had been supported by some independents and the Holland-on-Sea and Eastcliff Matters party, which did not stand for re-election.

It is now expected that the various groups on the council will attempt to negotiate a pact to form an administration before a new leader is appointed at the next full council meeting on May 23.

RESULTS

Alresford & Elmstead: Gary Scott* (Lib Dem) 1,170, Ann Wiggins* (Lib Dem) 1,046, Harriet Butcher (Con) 607, Mollie Ireland (Con) 466, Louise Armstrong (Lab) 231, Olivier Mupenda (Lab) 183. Turnout: 32.43%

Ardleigh & Little Bromley: Zoe Fairley* (Con) 343, Helen Fontaine (Lib Dem) 324, Alan Todd (Lab) 74. Turnout: 32.06%

Bluehouse: Ian Lennard* (Lab) 213, James Codling* (Con) 212, Bernie Goldman (Ind) 195, Martin Suker (Lab) 188, Mary Newton (Con) 185, Danny Mayzes (Ind) 129, Bev Sencier (Ind) 115, Carolyn Mayzes (Ind) 107, Josie Holland (Ind) 101, Andrew Pemberton (Ukip) 98, David Eisenhart-Rothe (Green) 56, Emma Talbot (Lib Dem) 45. Turnout: 20.8%

Brightlingsea: Brightlingsea: Mick Barry* (Ind) 1,411, Jayne Chapman* (Ind) 1,309, Graham Steady* (Ind) 1,081, Mat Court (Ind) 561, John Carr (Con) 395, Ben Harvey (Green) 264, Jenna Barton (Lab) 251, Nigel Dyson (Con) 217, Harry Prosser (Lab) 148, Margaret Saunders (Lab) 188, Bobby McWilliams (Con) 180, James Jefferies (Lib Dem) 83, Stuart Morgan (Lib Dem) 76.

Burrsville: Chris Amos* (Con) 499, Mick Skeels* (Con) 432, Pat Murray (Ind) 290, Christopher Adams-Salmon (Lab) 258, Gareth Bayford (Ind) 256, Tracey Lewis (Lab) 254, Jon Manning (Lib Dem) 183, Kane Silver (Lib Dem) 179,  Chris Southall (Green) 131, Jo Weiss (Ind) 55.

Cann Hall: Gina Placey* (Ind) 425, Geeta Sudra* (Ind) 392, John Chittock (Con) 366, Mick Skeels (Con) 317, Sharon Bowling (Lab) 201, Frances Wright (Lab) 164, Rob Harper (Lib Dem) 98, Harry Shearing (Reform UK) 97, Susan Shearing (Reform UK) 91.

Coppins: Peter Kotz* (Lab) 349, Sarah Jane Newton* (Ind) 294, Geoffrey Ely (Lab) 292, Ben Smith (Con) 284, Alex Porter (Con) 281, Dale Ward (Ind) 264. Sam Manning (Lib Dem) 75, Turnout: 18%

Dovercourt All Saints: Jo Henderson* (Lab) 1,018, Maria Fowler* (Lab) 858, Andie Erskine (Con) 423, Sharon Erskine (Con) 403, Duncan Gordon (Green) 175. Turnout 29.77%

Dovercourt Bay: Gary Calver* (Lab) 422, Lizi Ninnim (Con) 145, Nathan Williams (Lib Dem) 47. Turnout: 27.95%

Dovercourt Tollgate: Pam Morrison* (Lab) 364, Carrie Sanderson (Green) 39, John Wade (Con) 244. Turnout: 28.28%

Dovercourt Vines & Parkeston: Bill Davidson* (Lab) 337, David Chant (Con) 120, Simon Banks (Lib Dem) 51. Turnout: 24.14%

Eastcliff: Andy Baker* (Ind) 468, Percy Lomax (Con) 247, Matthew Wistowsky (Lab) 95. Turnout: 31.79%

Frinton: Nick Turner* (Con) 910, Richard Everett* (Con) 903, Terry Allen (Tendring First) 668, Iris Johnson (Tendring First) 496, Nigel Roper (Lab) 322, George Taylor (Lab) 318, Susan Clutterbuck (Green) 268. Turnout: 40.54%

Harwich & Kingsway: Ivan Henderson* (Lab) 493, Barry Brown (Con) 147, Wayne Linge (Lib Dem) 36. Turnout: 26.17%

Homelands: Mark Platt* (Con) 331, John Carrington (Lab) 161, Shirley Heggie (Ind) 122, Jack Robertson (Tendring First) 120, Glen Maleary (Lib Dem) 105, Paul Clutterbuck (Green) 54. Turnout: 35.61%

Kirby Cross: Andrea Cossens* (Con) 377, Paul Clifton (Tendring First) 278, Jay Sedger-Walker (Lab) 170. Turnout: 28.28%

Kirby-le-Soken & Hamford: Mark Cossens* (Con) 408, Fiona Knowles (Tendring First) 235, Bethan Phillips (Lab) 111, Paul Butler (Green) 75. Turnout: 33.73%

Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley: Lawford, Manningtree & Mistley: Terry Barrett* (Lib Dem) 1208, Carlo Guglielmi* (Con) 907, Matthew Bensilum* (Lib Dem) 824, Valerie Guglielmi (Con) 778, Ken Symon (Lib Dem) 743, Alan Coley (Con) 721, Philip Dunnett (Lab) 552, Maria Dos Santos Tavares Carrerio (Lab) 425, Lucy Watts (Green) 360. Bailey Hayes (Lab) 344, David Watts (Green) 301. Turnout: 35.05%

Little Clacton: Jeff Bray* (Con) 400, Marian Hatch (Lab) 156, Jordan Silver (Lib Dem) 83. Turnout: 25.87%

Pier ward: Paul Honeywood* (Con) 179, Donny Standing (Lab) 145, James Burns (Ind) 91, Philip Cunningham (Lib Dem) 17. Turnout: 22.13%

St Bartholomew's Ward: Adrian Smith* (Ind) 884, Carrie Doyle* (Ind) 872, Justin Ball-Greenwood (Con) 390, Julie Park (Con) 365, Gerard Lovett (Lab) 249, Alison Mitchell (Lab) 213. Turnout: 33.1%

St James: Chris Griffiths* (Con) 673, Maurice Alexander* (Con) 654, Graham Ford (Lab) 280, Kate Hammond (Reform UK) 271, Dan McDonnell (Ind) 209, Sheila Hammond (Lab) 128, Ben Minter (Lib Dem) 112. Turnout: 24.67%

St John’s: Mark Stephenson* (Ind) 455, Gemma Stephenson* (Ind) 432,  Sue Ball-Greenwood (Con) 345, Samuel Leonard (Con) 294, Norman Jacobs (Lab) 197, David Bolton (Lab) 190, Katherine Hornby (Lib Dem) 128, Rosemary Dodds (Green) 95, Colin Kingham (Ind) 53.

St Osyth: John White* (Ind) 463, Michael Talbot* (Ind) 454, Stuart MacKintosh (Con) 265, Grace Skeels (Con) 230, Tracey Osben (Green) 148, Sandra Adams-Salmon (Lab) 128, Jane Herbert (Lab) 122, Jeremy Talbot (Lib Dem) 80, Turnout: 24.23%

St Paul’s: Sue Honeywood* (Con) 288, Pierre Oxley (Tendring First) 161, Robert Porter (Lab) 157, Clive Purrett (Green) 50, Karen Walker (Lib Dem) 25, Elizabeth Khan (Ind) 12. Turnout: 30.95%

Stour Valley: Tanya Ferguson* (Con) 336, Sean Fey (Lab) 247, Mark De Roy (Lib Dem) 185, Mark Cole (Reform UK) 120, Eleanor Gordon (Green) 80. Turnout: 40.13%

The Bentleys & Frating Ward: Lynda McWilliams* (Con) 450, Robert Taylor (Lib Dem) 173, Rebecca Cole (Ind) 126, David Smith (Lab) 102, Alison Clarke (Green) 87. Turnout: 32.29%

The Oakleys & Wix: Mike Bush* (Ind) 311, Tom Howard (Con) 265, Dave McLeod (Lab) 133, Bob Rowles (Green) 62. Turnout: 31.12%

Thorpe, Beaumont & Great Holland Ward: Daniel Land* (Con) 789, Diane Somers (Lab) 129, Jemma Keleher (Green) 77, David Orton (Lib Dem) 46. Turnout: 36.06%

Walton: Ann Oxley* (Tendring First) 273, Delyth Miles (Ind) 185, Chris Bee (Lab) 171, Anne Poonian (Con) 140, Steven Walker (Green) 49. Turnout: 30.13%

Weeley & Tendring Ward: Peter Harris (Con) 453*, Vicky Cauvain (Ind) 196, Dave Chable (Lab) 80, Natasha Osben (Green) 45. Turnout: 31.25%

West Clacton & Jaywick Sands: Dan Casey* (Ind) 602, Brad Thompson* (Ind) 537, David Booth (Con) 264, Anne Alexander (Con) 232, Tony Mack (Ind) 162, Michael Cattrell (Lab) 154, Adam Hewitt (Lab) 138, Danell Dreelan (Ind) 137. Turnout: 27.89%

TOWN AND PARISH COUNCIL ELECTIONS

In addition to the district council elections, four of the five wards on Harwich Town Council and all six wards of Frinton and Walton Town Council, along with all seats on Brightlingsea Town Council, are being contested. Alresford, Bradfield and Weeley parish councils will also be contested.

The remaining parish and town council elections will not be contested, with just enough or fewer candidates than seats available. Those candidates are therefore elected without the need for a poll.

The official list of those standing for each district ward, and town and parish councils, can be found online at https://www.tendringdc.uk/content/district-and-parish-local-elections-4-may-2023.