Mason Moore | Hinckley Reporter | 7 May 2021
NUNEATON’S TORIES have taken control of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, .
The announcement was made at approximately 4am this morning (7 May).
The Borough Council previously had ‘no overall control’ back in 2018, as Labour lost control that year by just one seat.
The Conservatives have won back the Town Hall for the first time in thirteen years, as they were last elected in 2008.
The Council was previously made up of three important Labour Party members – all of whom have since lost their seats – Nuneaton Mayor, June Tandy, [Then] Deputy Leader, Ian Lloyd and [Then] Council Leader, Julie Jackson.
Labour have now only been left with a total of one seat in the town, as they retained the Abbey Ward, with a total of 886 people who voted for Labour’s Jill Sheppard.
The Arbury, Galley Common, Slough, St. Nicholas, and Whitestone wards remained Conservative seats.
Over in the nearby town of Bedworth, the Tories had gained the Bedworth Heath and Exhall wards.
Former Labour leaders lose seats
Former Council Leader, Julie Jackson, lost her seat in the Wembrook Ward, which was being double-checked with a total of two re-counts, before it was confirmed.
Former Deputy Council Leader, Ian Lloyd, lost his Camp Hill seat.
June Tandy, Mayor for Nuneaton, lost her seat in the Attleborough ward following a Conservative gain from Labour.
Listed: The town’s new Conservative Wards
According to The New Statesman, the Conservatives gained a total of 11 seats from the Labour Party in the following wards:
- Attleborough
- Barpool
- Bede
- Bedworth Exhall
- Bedworth Heath
- Bulkington
- Camp Hill
- Kingswood
- Poplar
- Wembrook
Tory MP Marcus Jones reacts to win
Nuneaton’s Conservative Member of Parliament, Marcus Jones, congratulated the town Tories of winning control of the Town Hall on his official Twitter account.
He said: “I’m delighted that Nuneaton Conservatives and Bedworth Conservatives gained a massive 11 seats and will now take control of Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council.
“A massive effort by all concerned. Thank you to everyone that supported the Conservative candidates.”
Former Council Leader comments
In an interview conducted by BBC News, former Borough Council Leader, Julie Jackson, explained that she believed that ‘the [Labour] party had not done enough to convince the public’.
Speaking further, she said: “We’ll be back out there, listening hard to the good people of Nuneaton and hopefully offering them something that resonates more soundly with them for future elections.”
Nuneaton Labour react
In a post on Facebook this evening (7 May), Nuneaton Labour campaigners thanked everybody who voted for them yesterday.
They explained that they understand local people in the town are ‘frustrated’ with them and that they will ‘listen and learn’ from local residents.
The social media statement reads: “Thank you to everyone who voted Labour yesterday. Congratulations to Cllr Jill Sheppard and Cllr Caroline Phillips on their successful election campaigns.
“It is clear that voters here in Nuneaton and right across the country are frustrated with the Labour Party.
“We will listen and learn from local residents. The voters of Nuneaton have spoken, and democracy is a sacred part of the British way of life.”