Tory wins but with reduced majority
FRANK Pearce has been elected as Hayling Island's county councillor but with a majority that was almost halved from his predecessor's.
Voters stayed away in their droves and those that did come out turned their backs on the three major political parties.
On a night when Labour were smashed by an angry electorate across Hampshire, the Conservative candidate was returned with just 39 per cent of the electorate turning out.
And UKIP – who want to take the UK out of Europe – polled just over 1,100 votes as disillusioned voters made their protest against the three main parties caught up in the parliamentary expenses scandal clear.
In 2005 when Ted Gale was returned with a majority of 2,710, the Conservative candidate polled 4,726 votes.
But last night when the results were announced at Havant Civic Offices, Mr Pearce, who is currently a borough councillor representing Hayling West, attracted the support of just 2,579 votes.
Labour felt the full force of the voters' wrath with Sheila Mealy, who also stood against Ted Gale four years ago, seeing her vote slashed from 2,016 to just 443.
The Green Party candidate Gill Leek got within seven votes of the party that finished second four years ago – leaving Labour relegated into fifth place.
The unpopularity of Gordon Brown's Labour Government could not have been more clearly shown as a third member of the Cabinet – Pensions Secretary James Purnell – announced his resignation just moments after the poll closed, calling on the Prime Minister to resign.
Gary Kerrin cashed in on the backlash to finish second behind Mr Pearce, with Paul Pritchard picking up just 700 votes for the Lib Dems.
His son Christopher, who shares the same house in Sandy Point, finished last in the poll with 215 votes for the English Democrats.
A delighted Mr Kerrin said: "I've worked really hard delivering leaflets and I'm just so gla. It's really good to get second place."
In Emsworth and St Faiths, which covers Langstone, Ray Bolton kept the seat for the Conservatives after David Gillett, who stood down as Tory leader on the borough council last year, also stood down as the county councillor.
Mr Bolton polled 3,144 votes, giving him a majority of 1,496 over the Lib Dems' Ray Cobbett, who picked up 1,648 votes out of a turnout of 45.4 per cent.
UKIP was not as successful in the ward as on Hayling, but Stephen Harris still picked up more than 800 votes as Labour was beaten into fourth place by the Green party.
Mary Youle received 546 votes for the Greens while John Ogden suffered from the Government's unpopularity, with his share of the poll reduced to 406 votes.
Hayling Island
Frank Pearce (Conservative) 2,579
Gary Kerrin (UKIP) 1,108
Paul Pritchard (Lib Dem) 700
Gill Leek (Green) 436
Sheila Mealy (Labour) 443
Christopher Pritchard (English Democrats) 215
Majority: 1,471
Turnout: 39 per cent
Emsworth and St Faith's
Ray Bolton (Conservative) 3,144
Ray Cobbett (Lib Dem) 1,648
Stephen Harris (UKIP) 807
Mary Youle (Green) 546
John Ogden (Labour) 406
Grant Greenham (English Democrats) 187
Majority: 1,496
Turnout: 45.4 per cent
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Weather for Hayling
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: 1 C to 5 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
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