Ken Hulme Hails “Cracking” Election Result

Ken Hulme during his campaign to win a seat on Oldham Council. He's promised to stand again next year.

Independent parish councillor Ken Hulme has said his second place finish in the Saddleworth North ward in last week’s elections to Oldham Council was “a cracking result.” In an e-mail to supporters he’s promised to stand as an independent again next year in both the borough and parish council elections.

Cllr Hulme polled 1,628 votes, just 251 behind Cllr Alan Roughley who held the seat for the Liberal Democrats. The Conservatives finished third with Labour, Cllr Hulme’s former party, beaten into fourth.

In his e-mail, Delph-based Cllr Hulme wrote: “I know a lot of people are disappointed at the result of the election on Thursday – but I think it’s a cracking result and a very strong platform on which to build and to fight next year’s Oldham Council and Saddleworth Parish Council elections.

He went on: “In answer to a lot of folk who have urged me to keep going and to fight next years Oldham Council elections – I most certainly will be doing so and I’m really pleased that people are coming forward to stand with me as independents for the Parish Council elections next May – please contact me if you are interested!”

Members of Saddleworth Parish Council are elected once every four years, and the next elections will take place in 2011. There are three councillors for each ward on Oldham Council, so elections are held three years in every four, including 2011.

If Cllr Hulme can once again get 1,628 votes he’d have a good chance of winning a seat on Oldham Council. That’s because the turnout will probably be signifanctly lower than it was last week, as next year’s local elections are unlikely to take place on the same day as a general election (although given the current political turmoil at Westminster, another general election next May is not impossible!).

My interview with Cllr Hulme from the election campaign can still be read and listened to here.

Author: Jude Gidney - Editor

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