LibDems clean up in Taunton
19 out of 20 of the new seats on Taunton Town Council have been won by the LibDems. Somerset Councillor and Cabinet Member, Federica Smith Roberts won her ward in Blackbrook and Holway with fellow LibDem Susan Lees taking the other seat. Green Party candidate Christopher Salter was third.
The only non-LibDem on the new council will be Giuseppe Fraschini for the Conservatives who won in Maidenbrook ward.
In most of the wards the result was not even close. The only dampener for the LibDems was the very low turnout. Wilton and Sherford was the only ward where turnover exceeded 40%. in 7 of the 14 wards the turnout was below 30% and in Halcon and Lane Ward it was just 20.24%.
Still that will not dampen the enthusiasm of the LibDems who will now have high hopes of winning Taunton back at the next General Election. Cllr Tom Deakin (Obridge) – chair of the new town council – suggested: “We’re the only party that took this election really seriously.” Given the result, he may have a point.
The Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate for Taunton, Gideon Amos, added: “It’s a privilege to lead such a dynamic new team of all walks of life, age groups and communities – all united in their resolution to stand for our County Town. What Taunton deserves now is just as strong a voice in Parliament – one who will stand up to government for local people, not the opposite.”
Of course in many ways winning is the easy bit. What the new councillors now have to do is deliver. And deliver for a town that has been falling behind. A town that needs vision and revitalisation.
The full results can be found here: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/taunton-parish-council/#Results%20of%20election%204%20May%202023