The new-look town council will be good for Royston according to one of the successful candidates in last week’s election.
Though the Conservatives remain the majority party after last week’s poll, having won 10 town council seats, they saw UKIP and Labour win two seats each, while former mayor Rod Kennedy was elected as an independent.
Mark Hughes (Palace ward) and Paula McGlynn (Meridian ward) were elected as the UKIP councillors.
Reflecting on the vote, Cllr Hughes said: “We are delighted to have our first representatives on the town council. It shows there is support for us in the town and that we are a serious political party.
“There are good people in all the parties, and hopefully we will add to the debate. What all the councillors have in common is that we want what is best for Royston.”
Labour picked up a second seat on the town council, with Les Baker joining Robert Inwood in Palace ward. However, Cllr Inwood lost his seat on North Herts District Council.
Cllr Baker said: “Obviously we had a mixed reaction to the results, but are delighted to have two Labour councillors with years of experience on the town council.”
Cllr Kennedy stood down as a councillor at the 2010 elections, but has returned after a four-year absence because he wants to “challenge, scrutinise and question proposals made.”
On a bad night nationally for the Liberal Democrats, they lost their only seat on Royston Town Council, with Elizabeth Freeman failing to hold on to her Palace ward seat.
In the North Herts District Council elections, Conservative candidates Fiona Hill and Bill Davidson were re-elected in Royston Heath and Royston Meridian, respectively, and are joined by Benjamin Lewis, who took the Royston Palace seat from Cllr Inwood.
The Liberal Democrats fared better in South Cambridgeshire district council elections, with Cllr Jose Hales scoring a convincing victory in Melbourn, and Philippa Hart taking over from Susan van de Ven in the Meldreth ward. Tory councillor David McCraith retained his Bassingbourn seat on the district council.
UKIP has four Members of the European Parliament in the Eastern Region following Thursday’s ballot, with the Conservatives holding on to two and Labour one.
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