LIB DEMS CELEBRATE SAFE DEFENCE OF HAVERSTOCK IN COUNCIL ELECTIONS
Wednesday May 26, 2010
By RICHARD OSLEY
CAMDEN'S Liberal Democrats have this morning been confirmed as the winners of the delayed council elections in Haverstock ward, holding all three seats in a close battle with Labour.
The victory raises the Lib Dem contingent at the Town Hall to 13 councillors, making the party the official opposition to the new majority Labour group.
Jill Fraser (1,462), Matt Sanders (1,326) and Rahel Bokth (1291) were elected.
The closest runner-up was Labour's Sabrina Francis, who was just 35 votes short of a place on the council.
The result comes three weeks after Labour retook control of the council from a Lib Dem and Conservative coalition by winning 30 seats on May 6, the day the rest of the borough voted in council elections. The poll in Haverstock was delayed after Lib Dem councillor Syed Hoque died as he campaigned for re-election.
Cllr Sanders said: "There is nobody who would have been more pleased with this result today than Syed and we wish he could be here with us to share this. He worked hard as a councillor for Haverstock and part of our victory is because of that."
He added: "People may talk about the coalition that has formed nationally but when people look around in Haverstock, the Labour government did not do anything magical for the area in 13 years in power. People voted here on local issues and for councillors who have worked hard for them. I can't wait to get straight back to work for the ward tomorrow."
RESULT:
JILL FRASER (Lib Dem) 1,462 - ELECTED
MATT SANDERS (Lib Dem) 1,326 - ELECTED
RAHEL BOKTH (Lib Dem) 1,291 - ELECTED
SABRINA FRANCIS (Labour) 1,257
TOM COPLEY (Labour) 1,202
JOYNAL UDDIN (Labour) 1,114
JOAN STALLY (Conservative) 259
TOM FROST (Conservative) 250
JANE LAWRIE (Green) 246
PAUL GRADER (Green) 240
ROBERT RICKETTS (Conservative) 236
SEAN THOMPSON (Green) 181
TURNOUT: 36.23%