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Vanessa Ricketts won by almost 500 votes over her nearest challenger - Conservative former councillor Lisle Smith. She said she was totally overwhelmed by the result and that it was testament to the legacy of Colin Bungey, whose death left the seat empty, and his efforts to support the ward s residents. Cllr Bungey died in April having been an independent councillor in Christchurch since 1983. But the pandemic has meant the by-election for his replacement could not take place until Thursday. Vote counting took place on Friday. Cllr Ricketts, a former council clerk, secured 1,310 votes, just under 500 more than Conservative candidate Lisle Smith. ....
Another former elected member of Christchurch council, she has lived in the Commons ward for 15 years. She works in a specialist school for children with social, emotional and mental health problems and said she is “passionate” about improving the futures for younger generations. Her priorities include preventing “inappropriate” and green belt development, improving transport links and said she would give Christchurch residents “more say” in policy. Peter Stokes - Labour Christchurch born, he is retired after a 36-year career in the oil and gas drilling industry and stood as the Labour candidate in the 2013 local and 2015 general elections. He said he is “greatly concerned” with the amount of affordable and social housing in the area and said less emphasis needed to be put on building retirement homes in favour of new family housing and has called for an increase in bus services in the area. ....
It comes as elsewhere in the county, protesters have been arrested for stopping traffic on main roads in Weymouth and Dorchester to raise awareness of the climate crisis. Two people took to King Street, Weymouth and Trinity Street, Dorchester at 11am today, sitting in the road to hold up traffic as part of a national Extinction Rebellion protest. One of the protestors, scientist Emma Smart, from Weymouth, said she was particularly keen to draw awareness to the issue of sea level rise - and how this will affect the local community. Extinction Rebellion protester Emma Smart is arrested in Weymouth for blocking King Street to protest over the climate emergency ....