IT WAS a blue day for Weymouth and Portland as Conservatives scooped a number of seats on the borough council with large majorities.

Hundreds of supporters donning their party colours packed in to the Pavilion's Ocean Room as the results for a third of the council were announced.

There were some surprise victories as Conservative Jason Louis Osborne took Melcombe Regis ward, which was previously held by the Lib Dems.

Cllr Osborne said his priority would be to 'find out what the people want' and do his best to serve those needs.

"I know that the issues are litter, crime and anti-social behaviour.

"I want to do a survey in the area to find out people’s real concerns. People have different concerns.

"I want to do some street walking and get going to see people."

Newcomer Conservative Cathy Page-Nash, who won the Radipole ward with 662 votes, said she has a few items at the top of her agenda going forward.

"I don’t like the car parking fees going up. I think that’s a very bad move," she said.

"I would prefer we keep it at the level it is or reduce it so we are in competition with the surrounding area.

"I want to encourage people to come in to our town.

"I would love to see some of the fairy lights return if that’s possible.

"And I think I would like to try and make people proud of Weymouth."

Elsewhere, Cllr Pam Nixon kept her seat for the third time as representative of Wey Valley ward with a majority of 846 votes and James Farquharson won Preston with a majority of 1,190.

Fresh from his win in the parliamentary elections, South Dorset MP Richard Drax made an appearance at the count to support his fellow Conservatives.

Newcomer Conservative Cathy Page-Nash, who won the Radipole ward with 662 votes, said she has a few items at the top of her agenda going forward and she’d like to ‘make people proud of Weymouth.’ John Ellis retained the Conservative seat for Upwey and Broadwey, previously represented by long-standing councillor Mike Goodman who did not seek re-election this time around.

It was the third time Cllr Ellis had stood but his first time being elected.

"I’m so pleased at long last I’ve been able to have my chance to represent the people of the ward," he said.

"I want to be my own man but I’m going to keep in touch with Mike [Goodman]"

On Portland, Independent David Hawkins retained his seat.

But he told residents to 'expect the unexpected' when it comes to his plans.

"I’m proud to be re-elected," he said.

"Tophill East is a very interesting place and there are so many individual problems.

"The amount of building work taking place is one, we are losing green spaces.

"If you want to know what to expect from me – expect the unexpected."

Labour's Andy Blackwood, who won the Westham West seat, said his priority would be protecting funding for local government.

He said given the Conservative majority nationally, residents have 'every reason' to expect more cuts.

 

Fourth-time lucky

ONE councillor proved perseverance pays off as he was elected on his fourth attempt to stand for the borough council.

Lib Dem Oz Kanji won the Westham North ward with 1,007 votes.

It was three-horse race with Labour's Peter Barrow coming in second with 837 and Lib Dem Alec Roy Nicholls polling in third with 784 votes.

The seat had previously been held by Labour's Andy Blackwood who switched to Westham West for this election and subsequently won.

Turnout for the Westham North ward was just shy of 64 per cent.

Cllr Kanji said party colours do not matter as he's here 'for the community.'

"It’s fourth time lucky I suppose," he said.

"I nearly gave up so I’m over the moon.

"I’m happy for the elderly and the disabled I’ll be able to help.

"A lot elderly people don’t have cars and it costs them £5 in a taxi I want them to have a better bus service.

"I’m here for the community; I’m here for everyone."

How many of us went to the polls?

VOTER turnout varied substantially across the borough council wards.

The highest was in Preston, where just over 80 per cent of the electorate made their mark.

Upwey and Broadwey ward also had a notably high turnout, at more than 75 per cent.

The seat had belonged to Mike Goodman for 14 years before he stepped down to make way for fellow Conservative John Ellis, who won with a comfortable majority.

Radipole had a turnout of 69 per cent, Tophill East almost 68 per cent, Wyke Regis 68 per cent, Wey Valley almost 75 percent and Weymouth West 71 per cent.

The turnout out figures confirmed suspicions which had been formulated on Thursday night as counters began the mammoth task of sorting parliamentary ballot papers from those for the borough council.

Tomorrow, the votes for West Dorset District Council (WDDC) will be counted.

The results in full:

MELCOMBE REGIS Jason Louis Osborne (Conservative) 858 Richard John Baker (Labour) 704 John Douglas Morse (Ukip) 545 Alvin Lancelot Hopper (Lib Dem) 288 Benn Elliott Harrison (Green Party) 251

PRESTON James Farquharson (Conservative) 2,007 Robin Malcolm Vaughan (Lib Dem) 817 Maureen Audrey Drake (Labour Party) 588

RADIPOLE Cathy Page-Nash (Conservative) 662 Graham Stanley Ernest Winter (Lib Dem) 589 Kay Susanne Wilcox (Labour) 428 James Walter Stokes (Ukip) 317

TOPHILL EAST David Hawkins (Independent) 574 Richard Anthony Paisley (Conservative) 506 Jo Atwell (Labour) Susan Frances Sutton (Green Party) 210

TOPHILL WEST Jason Mark Webb (Conservative) 606 Jim Draper (Labour) 561 Tracey Gough (Ukip) 530 Sue Lees (Independent) 327 Susan Patricia Cocking (Independent) 252 Deborah Coleman (Green Party) 166

UPWEY & BROADWEY John Ellis (Conservative) 1,056 Kieron Womble (Labour) 634 David Smith (Green Party) 342

WESTHAM NORTH Oz Kanji (Lib Dem) 1,007 Peter Barrow (Labour) 837 Alec Roy Nicholls (Conservative) 784

WESTHAM WEST Andy Blackwood (Labour) 673 Lesley Ann Kathleen Nicholls (Conservative) 617 Anne Kenwood (Lib Dem) 532

WEY VALLEY Pamela Ann Nixon (Conservative) 1,326 Pat Dunne (Labour) 480 Brian Heatley (Green Party) 339

WEYMOUTH EAST Alison Reed (Conservative) 666 Clare Louise Sutton (Green Party) 501 Marie Anne Blackwood (Labour) 338 Sybill Drake (Ukip) 257

WEYMOUTH WEST Richard Kosier (Conservative) 1,231 Hazel Lucy Priest (Labour) 934 Jon Orrell (Green Party) 644

WYKE REGIS Jeff Cant (Conservative) 1,037 Lucy Hamilton (Labour) 921 Jill Ann Hordle (Ukip) 549 Tim Griffiths (Independent) 221 Edward Charles Preece (Green Party) 221