Lib Dem By-Election Winner holds seat in Rushmoor against strong Tory tide

11.28.31am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 4th May 2007

Cllr Hazel Manning (with flowers) celebrating after her by-election win last July. Hazel held her seat, adding a further 99 to her by-election vote.

Liberal Democrat candidate Hazel Manning, who spectacularly gained Grange ward in Farnborough from the Conservatives at a by-election last July, added another 99 votes to her by-election result and held on to her seat.

Fellow Lib Dem councillor Neville Dewey held on to Farnborough's Mayfield ward with a 252-vote majority and first time candidate Dr Crispin Allard came within 40 votes of taking a Conservative seat in St Marks ward. Meanwhile, Abu Bakar moved up to second place in Knellwood ward.

Sadly, Cllr Shaun Murphy and Anoop Verma lost out in West Heath and Cove & Southwood wards, which both fell to the Conservatives, although the Conservative majority in Cove & Southwood was down from 310 last year to 226 this time.

In Aldershot Philip Thompson increased the Liberal Democrat vote in Manor Park ward, but lost out to an increase in the Conservative vote. Meanwhile, Laura Kilburn more than doubled the Lib Dem vote in North Town from 103 last year to 212 and John Campagnoli held-off a strong squeeze in Wellington ward.

For full results go to:

http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=7259