Well the elections are over in Eastleigh for another year and after last years results when the Liberal Democrats reached a high of 34 seats out of 44 it was looking difficult to better that this year. However after the votes were counted the result was amazing and humbling that the electorate of Eastleigh increased their backing for Liberal Democrat policies. There were 14 seats contested for the Borough Council the Liberal Democrat team managed to win 13 of them and only failed to win the normally safe Labour seat of Eastleigh South by 6 votes.
The seats won included 2 gains from the Conservative group and 1 from Labour and speaking after his win in West End South local Councillor David Goodall said :-
“I am truly thankful and humbled by the support shown to me in this election. After 5 years of being a Borough Councillor for West End I am very pleased that the level of support has increased and I wish to thank you those who voted for me.”
And he added :-
Following the recent elections West End Parish Council now has a new mandate to serve the people of West End. For the first time in nearly 15 years there were contested elections for the Parish Council in one ward. In that ward, West End South, the people of West End elected all five of the Liberal Democrat candidates standing plus the two conservatives to fill up to two remaining slots for the ward.
The newly elected seven parish councillors from the south ward are added to the six parish councillors, included two Liberal Democrats, who were elected unopposed from the north ward to make up 13 of the 14 seats on West End Parish council. The one remaining seat is from Kane’s Hill ward for which no candidates came forward and so the Parish Council will have to re-advertise, and then possibly co-opt a willing villager onto the council.
So your magnificent seven Liberal Democrat parish councillors are :-
Following the Annual General Meeting of the Parish Council on Wednesday 9th May the following Councillors were selected by their fellow Councillors for the main roles on West End Parish council :-
If anyone wishes to attend meetings at the Parish Council they are open to the public and are held at the Parish Centre, commencing at 7.15 p.m. on the following days :-