Lib Dems' Stunning Double By-Election Victories in Norfolk - October 2009

11.31.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 1st Oct 2009

Norfolk Liberal Democrats are celebrating a superb double victory in Wroxham

ward of Broadland District Council and also in Walsingham Ward of North Norfolk

District Council, following two local council by-elections tonight (Thursday).

The by-elections were called following the death of two Independent

councillors: David Teager who represented Wroxham Ward and Tom Moore who

represented Walsingham Ward.

The results will send shockwaves through Norfolk Conservatives, who hoped to

gain both of these seats, with the Lib Dems scoring huge victories in both

wards.

Wroxham ward includes the villages of Wroxham, Belaugh, Salhouse and Rackheath.

Winning Liberal Democrat candidate in Wroxham, Ben McGilvray, said:

"It's a great honour to have been selected by local people to represent the

area on the Council. I'm very grateful for the confidence that people have

shown in me, and I promise to do my very best in return."

"The eco-town and the huge scale of local developments planned in the area has

been a major issue in this election, and I've been very clear on where I stand.

All the signs are that the proposals have not been worked out in a sustainable

way to take into account local circumstances, and I will not support

unsustainable developments in this beautiful area around the Broads.

"People also said they felt it was important to have someone local, who knows

the area and the issues well"

The fact that I live in Wroxham helped enormously, and its because I've grown up here that I will fight with passion for the area."

Hugh Lanham, who was elected for the Lib Dems in Walsingham ward, said:

"I'd like to thank the electorate for the faith shown in me. I'll do my best to

represent local people. Residents raised a huge range of local issues with me

on the doorstep during the campaign, and over the coming weeks and months I'll

be trying hard to get these issues addressed."

The Wroxham Ward result was (with 2007 District Council result and change in

vote share in squared brackets):

Liberal Democrat, Ben McGilvray 960, 62.5% [8.1%, +54.4%]

Conservative, Ian Evans 346, 22.5% [41.4%, -18.9% ]

UKIP, Glenn Tingle 134, 8.7% [0% +8.7%]

Green, Nick Ball 50, 3.3% [7.8%, -4.6% ]

Labour, Malcolm Kemp 46, 3% [3.8%, -0.8% ]

[Independent candidates in 2007, 38.8% -38.8%]

LD Gain from Ind

Turnout 37.8%

NOTE: Wroxham is a two member ward, with both seats last up for election in

2007. As is standard practice, vote shares from last time are taken only for

the highest placed candidate from each party.

Walsingham Ward includes Barsham, Great Snoring, Sculthorpe, Walsingham,

Wighton. It was also last contested in 2007:

Liberal Democrat, Hugh Lanham 389, 58.1% [25.6%, +32.5% ]

Conservative, Tom Fitzpatrick 237, 35.4% [0%, +35.4%]

Labour, Michael Gates 43, 6.4% [0%, +6.4%]

[Independent candidate in 2007, 74.4%, -74.4%]

LD Gain from Ind

Turnout 33.6%