Tories hail "fantastic" gains at Coventry council but Labour retain overall majority

[dutchman]

21-year-old Ryan Simpson is now the youngest councillor at the Council House



Coventry Conservatives have hailed a "fantastic" set of local election results after they increased their numbers at the Council House - but Labour retain a comfortable majority.

The Tories gained new councillors in Sherbourne (from Labour), Bablake (from Independent), and Cheylesmore (from Labour).

But they lost the hotly-contested seat of Earlsdon, with Labour completing a hat-trick of consecutive wins in the ward through candidate Anthony Tucker.

Overall the Tories’ numbers have increased by two seats on the council, with Labour dropping one.

Labour still retain overall control and a majority as they avoided large losses as seen elsewhere in the country, now holding 39 seats to the Conservatives’ 15.

But Peter Male, chairman of the local Conservative Association, said it is a platform to build on and believes voters have sent a message, adding: “I think Coventry Conservatives have had a fantastic result today.

“We are sending a message to Coventry Labour who for too long have taken people for granted that we are coming for their seats. This will be a platform we can build on and next year we will be looking for further gains.”

Tory leader Cllr Gary Ridley added: “It is disappointing we have lost Earlsdon but it is not a surprise. Overall we have to be happy with this result.

“We have not just won in wards we have won comfortably. We have solidified in places like Cheylesmore and Westwood and make a breakthrough in Sherbourne.

“We have reduced the majority in Labour wards. During this election this Labour party have failed the people and have been more interested in the Prime Minister’s flat. Today it is the Labour party that will be feeling flat.”

University student 21-year-old Ryan Simpson pipped Labour to the post in Sherbourne by 99 votes, making him the ward’s first Conservative councillor since 2012.

He said: “It is a privilege to serve as a councillor and a studying student in Coventry.

“We have a large student population in Coventry and I think it’ll be a real asset to have a student involved in the decision making process in the city.”

Independent Glenn Williams was ousted in Bablake as the Conservatives made a further gain – Steve Keogh taking 35 per cent of the vote and 341 ahead of Labour.

Baraba Mosterman also took Cheylesmore off Labour’s Rois Ali by 483 votes.

[dutchman]

I think the Tories only won in sherbourne because a large number of traditional Labour voters were recently moved from the area to make way for a new housing development.