Strong showing for Conservatives in County Council elections Basingstoke s Conservatives are celebrating after a strong showing in county council elections that saw them make inroads into opposition seats. The party retained all seven divisions of Basingstoke s Hampshire County Council seats they held after the 2017 elections, but decreased the Labour majorities in Basingstoke North and Central. There were just 116 votes separating the Labour and Conservative candidates in the Central division, with Labour candidate Kim Taylor picking up the ward formerly held by Mike Westbrook. And the Conservatives managed to edge out Labour in Basingstoke North West, meaning the party s Basingstoke leader Andy McCormick could not get on the county council.
Residents of Cedar Close in Basingstoke struggled to leave their houses after their street became an ice-rink. The road is still flooded, which they say is putting the lives of families in further misery at the end of a difficult year. Despite several complaints to councillors and Hampshire County Council, residents say there has been no permanent solution to the flooding problem. There was an ice rink in front of Nathalie Menicou’s house on Christmas, which made it impossible to get her car out on the only day she was allowed to see her family. Ms. Menicou, a registered nurse who is already stressed at her work because of the rise in coronavirus cases, has further been affected by the flood.