Newbury Weekly News - May 11th 2017

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Newbury Weekly News

Tory glory in North Hants THE Conservatives gained 11 seats as they dominated the Hampshire County Council elections. Conservatives increase their share ofthevote following county council elections

Despite overall defeat, the Lib Dems received seven per cent more votes in Calleva and Tadley and Baughurst than in 2013, and saw a four-per-cent increase in Whitchurch and The Cleres. In Tadley and Baughurst, and Whitchurch and The Cleres, Labour candidates received the same percentage of votes as in 2013, but saw a seven-per-cent rise in Calleva. The overall results in North Hampshire were: CALLEVA : RhydianPeter Vaughan (Conservative) 3,069(76% of vote, + 18% on 2013); Stephen David Roth- man (Labour) 733(18%, +7%); Paul Anthony Kelly (UKIP) 232 (6%, -16%) TADLEY & BAUGHURST : Derek Preston Mellor (Conservative) 1,977 (47% of vote, +15% on 2013); Warwick Godfrey Lovegrove (Lib Dem)1,833 (43%, +7%); David Liston Foden (Labour) 246 (6%, same as 2013); Anne Marie Mockford (Green) 169 (4%, no candidate in 2013) WHITCHURCH& THE CLERES : Tom Thacker (Conservative) 3,012 (62%, +13% on2013); Linda Rose - mary Stepney (LibDem) 1,128(23%, +4%); John Bernal Rodway (Labour) 461 (9%, same as 2013); Andrew Neville Smith (Green)289 (6%, no candidate in 2013)

into play – waste disposal. “We can’t hide from the fact that the collapse of UKIP, so to speak, in the last year, has had an impact over our gain, but people are realising that we are doing the right thing.” Mr Lovegrove, said: “We worked very hard in the area, handing out leaflets and lots of canvassing, but we still didn’t quite hit the target. It is disap- pointing. “It was very much a challeng- ing election. “We didn’t have a UKIP candidate, but we had a Green candidate. This split my vote rather than the anti-Tory vote.” Elsewhere in North Hamp- shire, the Conservatives won in Calleva (up 18 per cent from 2013) and Whitchurch and The Cleres (up 13 per cent). The Conservative candidate for Calleva, Rhydian Vaughan, said: “It was my aim to win it, to increase the turnout and increase the votes. “It is in my manifesto to work on highways, as I drive through the same potholes as every one else, education and social welfare for the elderly.” Conservative Tom Thacker managed to retain his seat in Whitchurch and The Cleres.

But it was a disastrous result for UKIP, who lost all 10 of theirs. The Tories now hold 56 seats, increasing their share of the vote from 38 per cent in 2013 to 52 per cent this year. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats gained two seats – from 17 to 19 – and increased their share of the vote by five per cent. Labour lost two seats, with two remaining in position. There is one Community Campaign councillor (unchanged). Following the 2013 elections, the county council comprised 45 Conservatives, 17 Liberal Democrats, 10 UKIP, four Labour, one Independent, and one Community Campaign. The make up of the council is now 56 Conservative, 19 Liberal Democrats, two Labour and one Community Campaign. In last Thursday’s local elec- tions, the Conservatives received 52 per cent of the vote, the Lib Dems 27 per cent, Labour 11 per cent, UKIP four per cent and the Greens three

HollyUnnuk, AmyHamilton, KatieSainsburyandMichelle Pettifer entered thebake- offcompetitionatEchinnswellMayFayre Ref:18-2217A All smiles at village fair

ALMOST 700 visitors braved the bank holiday weather to attend Ecchinswell’s May Fair. All funds raised will be donated to Thatcham charity, Swings and Smiles, which provides recre- ational facilities for children and families with special needs. Landlord of the Royal Oak pub, Chris Webb, said: “Each year for the May Fair we try to choose a local charity, in particular smaller charities, where it makes a real difference.” Popular activities included the bucking bronco, bake-off, and build a beast competition, with the 17 entries lining the village. The winner was judged by Swings and Smiles patron and tele- vision presenter Chris Tarrant.

ConservativeDerekMellorwon theTadley andBaughurst eatfrom WarwickLovegrove

per cent. Independents got two per cent. There was a shock in the newly-named Tadley and Baughurst ward, with Lib Dem candidate Warwick Lovegrove (43 per cent of the vote) losing his seat to Conservative Derek Mellor (47 per cent). Reacting to his victory, Mr Mellor said: “I’m very pleased. Obviously it was a close-run thing, but one local issue came

Women’s group looks to set up second branch WOOLTON Hill’s National Women’s Register has proved so popular that it is considering starting a second group. The social group for women meets twice a month at a different member’s home for an evening of themed discussion, presentations and activities. At the March meeting, Macmillan nurse Madeleine Jenkins gave a demonstration of thera- peutic hand massage, which the group were then able to try out for themselves. Woolton Hill group member Nicole Bentham said: “It was a brilliant evening. It was very successful and everyone enjoyed themselves.” The group sometimes travels further afield, with trips including a behind-the-scenes visit to the Royal Opera House, a tour of the Wallace Collection, London, while last October there was a mini-break to Tewkesbury, following the trail of Capability Brown. The Woolton Hill group was founded nine years ago by Angie Maxwell, who was a member of the Bracknell group before she moved to the area and wanted something local. It started with 12 members and numbers have continued to grow. At present there are 20 members, with more women interested in joining. Any more members may make meeting in private homes difficult, so in September another local branch will be opened. Mrs Bentham said: “It keeps the brain cells going. Nearly all of our members are retired, but that was not the point of the National Women’s Register. “We struggle to get younger people now. Not that they are not welcome, but that they are too busy. “There is a lot of fun and laughing involved and they are a hugely supportive group.” While there is a skeleton schedule of activities for the year, member input is encouraged. Mrs Bentham said: “We feel this year we need to branch out.” The next meeting on May 17 will have a short demonstration on the theme ‘signs and gestures’. The National Women’s Register was started in the 1960s to connect women who were not expected to return to work after having children and were feeling isolated at home. Today, the group appeals to women of all ages and spans the world with groups in the UK, Europe, Africa and Australia.

Carter,Taylor and Jayden Jamieson trytheir handathook-a-duck

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Members oftheWoolton HillNational Women’sRegister enjoy acuppa

EntriesintheMagnificentBeastiecompetition

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