Mendip: LibDems lose control
There were no district or county council elections in Somerset on 6 May. However Mendip District Council was in the balance. 23 seats were held by the LibDems and 23 by Conservatives, Greens and Independents. The 47th seat was therefore pretty important and that was subject to a by-election on 6 May.
Bizarrely the seat, Wells St Thomas Ward, was not contested by the LibDems. As a result it was a two way fight between Labour and the Conservatives.
The Conservative candidate, Tanys Pullin won the seat with 887 votes to Labour’s Adam Fyfe’s 642.
Which leaves the LibDems with a minority administration. They remain the biggest party but will need support from either the Independents or the Greens to stay in control. The new council will comprise:
- 23 LibDems
- 12 Conservatives
- 10 Greens
- 1 Independent
- 1 no party
Equally bizarre is that no Labour or Green candidate stood in Shepton West!! Nor is there one declaring themselves as Independent. Instead there is a group calling themselves Future Shepton. Very fishy.
Hope The Leveller will find out the policital commment,of the so-called independent members