The leader of the Wokingham Conservatives has celebrated after the party held the line in the Local Elections 2021. The result saw the Conservatives hold on to their majority on the council and unseat the leader of the Wokingham Labour party Andy Croy. However, the Liberal Democrats gained three seats at the expense of the Conservatives, as six Conservative councillors chose to retire ahead of the elections. Giving his opinion on the result, re-elected councillor and Wokingham Conservative leader John Halsall said: “I’m really pleased with the result, we have the same majority as we were. “We have lost some great and good councillors. I thank Dianne King for her outstanding service on the executive, UllaKarin Clark for her long service as a councillor, Charlotte Haitham-Taylor for her leadership and her support, and Malcolm Richards, who has been a great mayor in such difficult circumstances. I would also like to thank Oliver Whittle, Emma Hobbs and Ken Miall fo
There will be eight fresh faces on Wokingham Borough Council following the Local Elections this year. That’s because seven councillors elected in 2016 chose not to run for another term this year, and one incumbent councillor was defeated in the election. In Wokinghan Borough, councillors are elected for four year terms. However, because elections were postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic, those councillors elected in 2016 got to serve another year. Here is a look at the eight fresh faces that will be taking up places on the council.
Philip Cunnington, Conservative councillor for Norreys ward Philip Cunnington was the first of the new councillors that were announced at the election count on Saturday, May 8.
For the most part, the day went well for incumbent councillors who were seeking re-election. The ruling Conservatives for the most part held the line. They won 14 out of the 18 seats that were up for election last time, in 2016. This year, they managed to hold on to 11 of those and gain one seat. The most gains were made by the Liberal Democrats, who won three seats at the expense of the Conservatives. The Liberal Democrats gained a seat in Emmbrook from long serving Conservative incumbent UllaKarin Clark. Clark had served as a councillor since 2003, but was beaten by Morag Malvern, who won by a majority of 221 votes. The Liberal Democrats had accused the Conservatives, including former Cllr Clark, of lying over the council’s finances in their campaign material.