Tories Retain Grip on Basildon and Secure Thurrock

BASILDON Conservatives have increased their majority following the local elections that have been such disastrous news for Gordon Brown. Clearly the electorate was more concerned to send a strong message to central government than to rap local Tories overthe knuckles about such issues as the golf course becoming a dumping ground for builders' rubble and closure of Markhams Chase Leisure Centre.

Certainly Mr Brown will have registered the need to be sensitive to public feeling. Perhaps the District Council should recognise that hubris carries dangers --- pride before a fall.

The Tories won the hotly contested Vange ward by 82 votes making Luke MacKenzie won Vange for the Tories to become, at 22, the youngest councillor . Jane Dyer, who had held the ward for Labour broke with her formwer party afew weeks back and stood as an independent. She secured just 72 votes.

The BNP failed to gain a seat despite standing in every ward. However, they secured 15% of the total vote which meant that they did rather better than either the Liberal Democrats or the Greens. It is to be hoped that their success reflects disquiet over levels of immigration rather than a widespread core belief in the views they promulgate.

Speaking after the local election results had been declared at the Towngate Theatre during the early hours of this morning, John Baron said: “This was a great night for us, and our thanks go to the electorate for their support. For the Tories to gain seats when we already have the largest number in the Council’s recent history is no mean achievement.

"The Government’s 10p tax on the poor, its closure of local Post Offices, the attempted forcing of open prisons on to Basildon, and Labour Councillors’ support for the travellers all contributed to Labour’s decline.

“Congratulations to all candidates and their teams, but particularly to Luke MacKenzie who won in Vange and at 22 is now the youngest Basildon Councillor. Everyone worked hard, and there were times yesterday when canvassing teams resembled Dad’s Army on manoeuvre – don’t panic Captain Mainwaring! Luke will now bring the average age down a bit!

“My one concern is the BNP. Although we stopped them breaking through, their share of the vote at around 15% is still too high. Indications suggest that, whilst our share of the vote went up, some of the Labour vote fell away to the BNP. This is worrying. The government’s shambolic record over immigration during the last 10 years is largely to blame.”

The results for all contested wards are as follows:

BILLERICAY EAST
Stuart Sullivan (Con) 1,932: Roger Hatch (Lib Dem) 428: Geoffrey McCarthy (BNP) 220: Patricia Reid (Lab) 206: Susan McCaffery (UKIP) 152.

BILLERICAY WEST
Philip Turner (Con) 2,145: Belinda Jackson (Lib Dem) 332: Wendy Aitken (Lab) 239: Michael Bateman (BNP) 200: Cherry Young (UKIP) 99.

BURSTEAD
Richard Moore (Con) 1,967: Irene Bateman (BNP) 407: Geoffrey Taylor (Lib Dem) 384: Margaret Viney (Lab) 275.

CROUCH
Stuart Allen (Con) 1,311: Carolyn Rossiter (BNP) 251: Anthony Borlase (Lab & Co-op) 218: Jennifer Cole (Lib Dem) 135.

FRYERNS
Paul Kirkman (Lab) 1,013: Jim Devlin (Con) 636: Leonard Heather (BNP) 628: John Lutton (Lib Dem) 250.

LAINDON PARK
Frank Tomlin (Con) 1,020: David Kirkman (Lab) 661: David King (BNP) 387: Jonathan Myall (Lib Dem) 193

LANGDON HILLS
Stephen Hillier (Con) 1,176: William Archibald (Lab & Co-op) 283: Kevin Swaby (BNP) 197: Imelda Clancy (UKIP) 152: Emma Peall (Lib Dem) 130: Annie Humphries (Green) 104.

LEE CHAPEL NORTH
Lynda Gordon (Lab) 972: Mark Coxshall (Con) 604: Jay Slaven (BNP) 358: Stephen Nice (Lib Dem) 160: Ernest Humphries (Green) 126

NETHERMAYNE
Geoff Williams (Lib Dem) 1,247: Kerry Whitaker (Con) 697: Mark Witzer (Lab) 495: Mark Henry (BNP) 459:

PITSEA NORTH WEST
Andrew Baggott (Con) 945: Emma Collins (Lab) 739: Raymond Pearce (BNP) 370:
Terry McBride (UKIP) 266.

PITSEA SOUTH EAST
Ann Blake (Con) 1,255: Richard Llewellyn (Lab) 604: Sidney Chaney (BNP) 383: Vivien Howard (Lib Dem) 171.

ST MARTIN'S
Philip Rackley Lab & Co-op) 513: Gwen Ball (Con) 408: Philip Howell (BNP) 305: Michael Dickinson (Lib Dem) 163.

VANGE
Luke MacKenzie (Con) 590: Santa Bennett (Lab) 508: Rodney Leveridge (BNP) 289: Philip Jenkins (Lib Dem) 104: Jane Dyer (Ind) 72: David Aitken (Ind) 47: Dean Hall (Green) 36.

WICKFORD NORTH
Carole Morris (Con) 1,250: David Harrison (Ind) 974: Anthony Gladwin (BNP) 289: Christopher Wilson (Lab) 230: Michael Woods (Lib Dem) 154.

BURSTEAD
Richard Moore (Con) 1,967: Irene Bateman (BNP) 407: Geoffrey Taylor (Lib Dem) 384: Margaret Viney (Lab) 275.

THURROCK
The Tories have retained control of fThurrock Council having secured ten of the eighteen wards involved. Labour took six and the BNP, having fielded candidates in all wards, gained one at Tilbury Riverside. Barry Palmer, The East Tilbury independent, held his seat.

There are now 24 tory councillors, 22 for labour, 2 independents and one for the BNP.

Emma Colgate (BNP), celebrating her victory, said; "The other councillors say they don't want to work with me, well I don't want to work with them." She added: "This vote is also a message to the Labour government."