WITH all the results now in for the Malvern divisions, the district has finished up with three seats to the Conservatives, two to the Green Party, two to independents, one to the Liberal Democrats and no seats for Labour.
Below is how each of the seats unfolded in Malvern which, it has to be said, was one of the more unpredictable and exciting areas in this afternoon’s Worcestershire County Council elections.
Malvern Chase
It was a dramatic start with the first announcement revealing Lib Dem Jack Satterthwaite had taken the seat from long-standing Conservative Lucy Hodgson who was the Cabinet Member with responsibility for Communities. He won the seat by 181 votes – 1,157 to 976. Independent John Gallagher was third on 702 and Labour’s Gregory Chance fourth with 257.
Result
Gregory Chance – Labour – 257
John Gallagher – Independent – 702
Lucy Hodgson – Conservative – 976
Jack Satterthwaite – Liberal Democrats – 1,157 – ELECTED
Turnout – 42.73 per cent.
Malvern Trinity
The second result has seen the Green Party hold onto Malvern Trinity which was held by John Raine. It’s a new candidate – Natalie McVey – but same result as the voters continue to show their support for the Greens in that division.
Rachel Clutterbuck – Labour – 180
Natalie McVey – Green Party – 1,451 – ELECTED
Liam Thompson – Conservative – 730
Richard Whitehead – Liberal Democrat – 135
Rachel Clutterbuck – Reform UK – 90
Turnout – 38.76 per cent.
Hallow
The Conservatives have held onto the Hallow seat. Scott Richardson Brown has been elected. He is a new candidate and follows in the footsteps of Phil Grove who won it for the Tories last time around. Mr Ruchardson-Brown saw off second-placed Independent Daniel Walton by 227 votes. Full result below.
Susan Dalley – Labour – 268
Jed Marson – Liberal Democrats – 289
Scott James Richardson-Brown – Conservative – 1,579 – ELECTED
Daniel Walton – Independent – 1,352
Turnout – 43.85 per cent.
Croome
There was another shock in the Croome result with long-term Tory Paul Middlebrough, who was also the Chairman of the county council’s Pensions Committee and Chairman of Pension Investment Sub-Committee and a past Wychavon District Council leader, being upseated by Green Party candidate Martin Allen. Mr Allen took it by almost 500 votes. That’s a gain for the Greens and the second seat the Conservatives have lost out of four Malvern divisions declared so far.
Martin Allen – Green Party – 1,755 – ELECTED
John Ellis – Labour Party – 99
Clifford Hobbs – Liberal Democrats – 73
Paul Middlebrough – Conservatives – 1,270
Turnout – 41.51 per cent.
Tenbury
The Tenbury seat was held by Conservative stalwart Ken Pollock and the seat remains a Tory stronghold this time around. David Chambers polled 2,109 – 1,674 more than the Green Party’s Peter Jones in second.
Result
Christopher Burrows – Labour – 325
David Chambers – Conservative – 2,109 – ELECTED
Peter Jones – Green Party – 435
David Mead – Liberal Democrat – 162
Turnout – 36.68 per cent.
Malvern Langland
This could be the closest seat so far in the Malvern divisions with just 159 votes between Lib Dem Paul Bennett in third and winner – Independent Beverley Nielson. She took the seat from Conservative James O’Donnell who was sandwiched in between with 745 votes. That’s four different representations in the Malvern division now – I don’t think that’s happened anywhere else in Worcestershire today.
Paul Bennett – Liberal Democrats 656
Neil Morton – Labour – 388
Beverley Nielson – Independent – 815 – ELECTED
James O’Donnell – Conservative – 745
Turnout – 34.06 per cent.
Powick
Independent Tom Wells emphatically held onto this seat – defeating the Conservatives by 1,751 votes. Coun Wells was also Chairman of the Children and Families Overview and Scrutiny Panel and his popularity shone through in this poll.
Result
Melanie Baker – Conservative – 786
Miles Edward Dudman – Liberal Democrats – 88
Aidan Stitt – Labour – 168
Tom Wells – Independent – 2,537 – ELECTED
Turnout – 43.86 per cent.
Malvern Link
The last seat of the day in Malvern was held by the Conservatives. Karen Hanks had a comfortable victory of 1,019 votes to Indepndent Peter Whatley’s 758 in second. Not far behind was Dee Tomlin from the Liberal Democrats, followed by Labour, a second independent and the Reform UK candidate.
Result
Karen Hanks – Conservative – 1,019 – ELECTED
Michael Savage – Independent – 155
Sharon Taylor – Labour – 415
Dee Tomlin – Liberal Democrats – 662
Peter Whatley – Independent – 758
Max Windsor-Peplow – Reform UK – 77
Turnout – 39.41 per cent.
FINAL SCORES (Malvern divisions)
CON – 3, GREENS – 2, IND – 2, LIB DEMS – 1, LAB – 0