CONTROL: Cllr Marc Bayliss, leader of Worcester City Council THE city council’s Tory leader has expressed his delight at a number of historic Conservative gains in Worcester after the party secured overall control for the first time in five years. Cllr Marc Bayliss, who is now leader of Worcester City Council with a Conservative majority of one, celebrated a number of big wins on Saturday (May 8) as the party secured historic victories in Gorse Hill and Warndon. “I am really delighted, we have had a fantastic result [on Saturday] and we have taken control of the city council for the first time in five years,” he said.
THE CONSERVATIVES have secured an overall majority on Worcester City Council on a day which saw Labour lose four wards. Big victories for the Conservatives in the city’s Gorse Hill, Nunnery and Warndon wards as well as a big win for the Green Party in the Arboretum ward meant Labour lost four seats leaving the Tories with an overall majority of one. Labour also lost veteran councillor Roger Berry in Gorse Hill, a ward he has represented for 25 years, as well as former parliamentary candidate and deputy leader Joy Squires on another dreadful day for the party. James Stanley, who won in Gorse Hill in the county council elections, claimed another victory for the Conservatives in the area which is now represented by two Tory councillors having been a Labour stronghold for years.
ST STEPHEN has undoubtedly become a stronghold for the Greens after a number of successive victories in recent years and the party will no doubt be looking to build on a very healthy majority and make it a hat trick of wins. The area has been the scene of impressive and famous victories for the Green Party in Worcester and has completely flipped from Conservative control in under a decade. Green councillor Matthew Jenkins is up again for re-election to Worcestershire County Council this time and will be looking to build on the 700-plus vote victory over the Conservatives four years ago to make it three wins out of three in the division.
Urban gull crackdown begins as city councils given power to take eggs from nests in new pilot scheme
Two cities are to be allowed to take action without asking for permission from Natural England in cases where health and safety are at risk
Gordon Dugan, gull control officer in Worcester
Credit: John Robertson
Urban gulls face a crackdown in two British cities as councils are to be handed powers to take eggs from nests in a first for England.
Under a pilot run by Natural England experts at Bath and Worcester councils are set to be allowed to make decisions about managing gull numbers without having to ask for permission from the national body.
Green Party councillors say they are “100% in favour” of the new wildflower sanctuary being created at the Cherry Orchard Nature Reserve in Worcester. Worcester City Council has joined forces with the Warwickshire & West Mercia Community Rehabilitation Company, in efforts to reclaim a large area of the reserve. St Stephen ward councillor Marjory Bisset said: “I am delighted to hear about the plan to create this new haven at the Cherry Orchard – this is just what’s needed to benefit local diversity and make Worcester more beautiful.” Approximately one third of the area dominated by bramble and dog rose will be left untouched in order to provide shelter for nesting birds and small mammals. The rest will be cleared to provide light, ensuring the growth of wildflowers such as a vast variety of orchids, Michaelmas daisy and coltsfoot