It's a few weeks now since the local elections and time to reflect. I blogged previously on the fate of the Lib Dems in those elections and mentioned new councillors who won seats on 5 May. Now seems a good time to look at those who were not successful in their election bid in 2011.
Barnabas Shelbourne was up for election in Byfleet. He was only elected back in 2010 but took his seat in a by-election, where the previous councillor had only one more year left to run. Barnabas is a youth worker and brought his expertise in this area to the Council. He had a fresh and enthusiastic approach and it is sad that he lost the seat. Barnabas was also a great support to the other Lib Dem councillor in Byfleet, Anne Roberts. Anne works tirelessly for her area and is well known there. Having Barnabas to work alongside Anne meant the team could do so much more for Byfleet. Campaigning to save Byfleet Libary was one example of the team in action. Barnabas' contribtion included an excellent letter in the News and Mail in praise of this local facility. As a father with a young son Barnabas also played a key part in raising concerns about the way in which extra spaces were to be provided at the local primary school.
Philip Goldenberg, a past councillor with a long political history, was standing in Goldsworth East. Philip is a formidable political operator and the Conservative party clearly feared his return to the council chamber. A large part of a leaflet was devoted to personal attacks. Against this sort of campaign and a slight upturn in the Labour vote Philip was not elected.
In Knaphill Lisa Harding put up an amazing fight. Despite being a first time candidate Lisa did an incredible job, whether working hard on the ground talking to residents and delivering literature or gaining publicity in both the local papers and the online world. Lisa was a fantastic candidate. Her background, growing up in East London, and her work for a national charity, mean she has both an empathy with people at all levels and a wider social conscience. Lisa fell victim to the double whammy of a surge in the Conservative vote and a well known local councillor. There was no more Lisa and her team could have done. It is a real pity that she is not a part of our council group. We are however using her many skills as secretary to the Lib Dem group. She is already scaring us with a new level of organisation not seen for some time in the group.
The Maybury and Sheerwater seat was a three cornered fight with the Conservatives just ahead of Labour and Lib Dem Ajmal Latif running close behind. Ajmal is a keen and energetic young man who put a lot into his campaign. He is welll known across the area and I hope he will be back to try his hand again in future.
Mark Hanley in Horsell West was late into the fray of candidature but he did all that was asked of him and put up a creditable fight in Horsell. Again the vote was affected by both the wider increase in Conservative vote and a well known councillor.
Over in Horsell East the Sanderson dynasty continued with James Sanderson (son of former Horsell West councillor Richard) taking up the Lib Dem mantle. James has past council experience having held a seat in Tower Hamlets when he lived in London. Horsell East tends to be a seat where the votes could almost be weighed rather than counted for the Tories and this year was no different.
A similar situation exists in West Byfleet where Bill Woolf worked very hard over many months but the Conservative majority inevitablty prevailed and in Pyrford where a veteran candidate Andy Grimshaw flew the Lib Dem flag. Past Lib Dem councillor Diana Landon ran again in St Johns and Hook Heath and made a creditable showing.
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