There were eleven principal local council by-elections held on Thursday 23rd June 2011. The Lib Dems gained one seat from the Tories but lost one seat to the SNP and one to an Independent. Independents gained two seats from the Tories, but lost one back the Tories and another to Plaid. The Tories held two seats and lost one to Labour . An independent took a seat off Plaid.
There were four parish or town council by-election results reported to ALDC. Conservatives held one seat and gained one each from the Lib Dems and from an Independent. The Lib Dems gained one seat from Labour. In Torbay in June the Tories won the Mayoral election and held control of the council. The Tory candidate decided to hedge his bets and stand in a relatively safe Tory ward as well, unlike the Lib Dem mayoral candidate. The Monday after he was elected to both, the vacancy for his council seat , Cockington-with-Chelston was declared and by Wednesday we’d called the by-election.
We were gifted two issues that played well in an area the Tories will have thought of as safe territory.
First the by-election and its cost was unnecessary, due only to the Tories lack of bottle. Second after winning the election in May the Tories gave Special Responsibility Allowances to 20 out of their 22 councillors!!
There were lots of good things to say about our campaign. We started quickly with a prepared leaflet that was only waiting for the photo and name of the selected candidate printed the day after the selection. Focuses, postal vote letters, blue letters, a fulsome endorsement from Adrian Sanders the popular local MP and a full colour A4 followed it. The second leaflet in particular was very, very local verging on a street letter and had a 10 version split in a 5,000 delivery point ward.
The Tories were complacent. Their only delivery was a full colour canvassing “out”. They woke up to the threat in the final week but it was already too late. Labour delivered two leaflets and a calling card, and as in May attempted to imply that we had a local coalition with the Tories. We were forthright in rebutting this lie, which had damaged us in May.
That’s better. Not good but better.
Other principal results:
South Kesteven DC, Deeping St James
Isle of Wight UA, Binstead and Fishbourne
Newcastle Under Lyme BC, Seabridge
Aberdeen UA, Airyhall / Broomhill / Garthdee